Transformers: The Remnant Battles
by Scam Man
Summary: *Re-Uploaded* After crash landing after a Decepticon attack, a group of Autobots find themselves on a strange new world filled with both familiar and new foes. With the help of a girl in a red hood and her friends, the Autobots may just survive.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: The following contains characters created by Monty Oum and Hasbro. Though a few are OC'S, the majority are not. Please support both RWBY and Transformers.**

**Transformers: The Remnant Battles**

**Narrator: **_**Somewhere in uncharted space flies the Autobot exploration ship the Vector Sailor. Its captain, Theta Centari, and his crew have been searching for new worlds with Energon, the lifeblood of all Cybertronians. Little do they know that the lives of some of its crew were about to change forever.**_

** "So then I thought I was going to end up slagged by the Decpticons when Slicktrack here came out of nowhere and pulled my skid plate out of the Inferno"! The Autobot Hound was recounting the incident on Kepler 7 where Hound was captured by a Decepticon patrol and was about to be executed. Hound was an average Autobot scout with a green and white paint job and a missile launcher on his right shoulder.**

** "That's nothing Mr. Scout," rebuked Chromesmasher, a slightly larger and more brutish Autobot. "I once went servo to servo with the Decepticon combiner Bruticus and I'm still online to tell about it"! Chromesmasher was cobalt grey and white, built like a tank, and can easily take on any opponent in close range combat.**

** "Yeah, but don't forget to mention how you spent twenty solar cycles in the medical wing recovering Smasher," Slicktrack said, busting his friends chops. Perhaps the smallest of the crew, Slicktrack stood at only nine feet and was painted hot rod flame red. He uses his size to an advantage to get into areas his comrades can't squeeze through.**

** "Yeah well the battle scars were worth it. The fembots can't take their optics off a hunk of stainless steel like me"!**

** "Keep telling yourself that loverbot," Hound said as the three of them arrived at the bridge and sat down at their posts. Just as they sat down, the doors opened again and Commander Alpha Centari and Sub-Commander Red Alert came in.**

** "Captain on the bridge"! Red Alert yelled as all Autobots rose from their seats, pivoted towards the CO and XO, and saluted.**

** "At ease," Alpha said taking his seat in the center of the room. Alpha Centari was an older Cybertronian painted gold and blue with a deactivated energy sword holstered at his hip. The old regimental soldier smiled at his subordinates working diligently. Red Alert took his seat to the right of his superior. He was a red and white Autobot with an air of authority, as the head of the ship's security should be. "So Red Alert, what was the status of the probe we sent out three orbital cycles ago?"**

** Red Alert taps on his computer screen and brings up the information. "It has discovered a nearby planet designated Remnant. The local populace is sentient and most of the world has been civilized."**

** "Were any Energon deposits detected?"**

** "Several sir, but they're all small-to-average size. No extravagant spikes, but the probe did pick up unusual energy readings. Most likely a natural, unique resource found on the planet."**

** Alpha Centari puts his hand to his chin and thinks on the Intel. "Fascinating, however, because the species is intelligent, we'll have to follow protocol. Hound, set up a comm link, I need to contact Optimus Prime."**

** "Yes sir," Hound responds as he begins typing on his terminal. Suddenly, the ship rocks violently and all the Autobots nearly fall out of their chairs.**

** "Is everyone alright?" Commander Alpha says. "Slicktrack, status report"!**

** "Sir, I'm detecting a Decepticon man-of-war directly on our port side. It appears to have come from the planet Remnant Red Alert just summarized. Hang on," Slicktrack hones his scanners on the warship and couldn't believe his optics. "Sir, it is **_**The Fallen**_**"!**

_**The Fallen**_** is the name of a powerful Decepticon warship. Second only to **_**The Nemesis**_**, this ship was named after one of the thirteen Primes and has a reputation of both loosing captains and blowing every Autobot ship it encounters into space dust.**

** "Red Alert, damage assessment," the commander ordered.**

** "Sir, **_**the Fallen**_**'s cannons punched straight through our shields and did excessive damage to the hull. Another hit like that, and we may be in trouble."**

** "No **_**may be**_** about it Red," Chromesmasher said.**

** "Sir, **_**the**__**Fallen**_** is hailing us"! Hound said.**

** "Put it on screen," Alpha responded.**

** The Autobots looked above their heads to the giant screen above and the image of the Decepticon captain came on. Imagine everyone's surprise that the captain to one of the most feared warships in the known universe was Air Commander Starscream!**

** "Greetings Autobot scum," he said confidently, "To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?"**

** "Starscream, shouldn't you be halfway across the universe kissing Megatron's skid plate?" Chromesmasher said.**

** "How dare you! I have been given the honor by my lord and master to command one of the most feared warships in the universe"!**

** "Does Megatron have a few screws loose? I thought he wanted to **_**win**_** the war"!**

** "That's enough Chromesmasher"! Alpha Centari yelled. "Starscream, why are the Decepticons here in uncharted space?"**

** "Oh, didn't you get the memo Autobot?" Starscream asked sarcastically, "This world is now Decepticon property, so all the Energon is mine to plunder."**

_**Something's not right**_** Slicktrack thought. **_**Red Alert said that there is little Energon here to begin with. What are the Decepticons really here for?**_

** "Unfortunately," Starscream continues, "I can't have any bot know of our location. Make peace with Primus while you can, because I'm about to blast you all into the void"!**

** "All hands, brace for attack"! Alpha Centari yells over the intercom. "Red Alert, set a course for Remnant, we need to know what the Decepticons are up to! Hound; broadcast a distress signal on all Autobot frequencies! Chromesmasher, divert all power to the shields and engines, we need to make it to the planet in one peace"! The Autobots comply and the **_**Vector Sailor**_** speedily heads for the nearby planet. As it gets closer, the **_**Fallen**_**'s weapons puncture the shields and strike the engines.**

** "Sir, the shields are down and we're losing altitude fast! We'll be entering the planet's atmosphere soon," Chromesmasher yelled over the alarms.**

** "All hands abandon ship, I repeat abandon ship"! Alpha Centari commands. All the Autobots get out of their seats and head to the escape pods. As the ship continues to come under fire, areas are exploding along with fellow crewmen and other unfortunate to be near hull breaches are sucked out. Slicktrack, Chromesmasher, Hound, and a few others make it to the pods and launch from the ship they called home. Back on the bridge, Alpha Centari and Red Alert stayed glued to their seats.**

** "Sir, please get to your escape pod"! Red Alert pleads.**

** "A good captain always goes down with his ship," the commander responds. "I ordered **_**all**_** crewmembers to abandon ship, that includes you too Sub-Commander"!**

** "With all due respect sir, my place is at your side. And besides; the two of us have a better chance of landing this thing in one piece." Alpha Centari smiles at his XO's loyalty and determination as they pilot the doomed exploration vessel.**

** Onboard the **_**Fallen**_**, Starscream looks on his screen as the ships' laser cannons lock onto the little vessel.**

** "Sir, we are locked on," a soldier said.**

** "Fire," he commanded. Starscream laughed as the cannons shot at the ships engines and there was a huge explosion. "I saw several pods jettison from that ship before it was destroyed, track them down and destroy them"!**

** Meanwhile, inside Slicktrack's pod, the last thing he thought before he landed was how he was going to make the Decepticons pay for this and then the world went black.**

**Well folks, here was the first chapter of this new exciting fic I re-uploaded. I know I said I wouldn't work on anything else until my RWBY/Marvel projects were complete, but this idea kept rattling in my head after watching Age of Extinction. Plus, I currently have writers block on the other stories so sorry. With that said how about I spice things up? If there were any Autobots or Decepticons you want me include (besides the obvious ones) in here, who would they be? The number would be limited as to how many, but I really would like to hear your thoughts. So until all are one, have a good day!**

**P.S, I placed a poll on my profile of what stories you would like me to do because I haven't really been active lately (this fic doesn't count). Please give it a look and cast a vote if you like. **__


	2. Chapter 2

**Narrator: **_**And so, another Autobot vessel falls prey to the Fallen. As the Vector Sailor breaks apart and crashes onto the planet below, the escape pods containing its remaining crew also touchdown. As Starscream sends search parties to locate and terminate any survivors, two Autobots awaken and examine their surroundings.**_

** "Hey, Slicktrack, Slicktrack"! Slicktrack begins to come back online as he feels his pod shaking violently. The door is forced open and the smaller Autobot is pulled out by his comrade Hound. "Oh thank Primus your still functional"!**

** "Uh, Hound; what happened, where are we"? Slicktrack asked.**

** "We've crash landed onto the planet Remnant, remember? Commander Alpha ordered us to abandon ship when the Decepticons attacked." Slicktrack scans his surroundings and saw that he and his friend have crash landed in the middle of a forest.**

** "Oh yeah, where are the others?"**

** "Unknown, perhaps scattered across the planet."**

** "Hang on," Slicktrack opens up his right sleeve to reveal a compartment with a computer screen. "I'm hacking into the pod's ERB to see if any of our comrades are nearby." The ERB or Emergency Response Beacon is a device located in all escape pods that allow rescue parties to find shipwreck survivors. "Hound, I'm picking up a signal roughly 10 klicks due west."**

** "Then what are we waiting for, let's rollout"! Hound begins sprinting with Slicktrack at his heels. When they found a clearing, Hound changed into vehicle mode and Slicktrack couldn't help but notice the difference.**

** "Hound," Slicktrack says on his comm, "What's with your vehicle mode?" Hound no longer maintained his old Cybertronian vehicle model but now took the shape of a Mitsubishi military jeep with his missile launcher in the rear seating area.**

"**What this? Our pod's had probes that searched and scanned a vehicle best suited to our size and configurations. Not to mention we need to keep a low profile. Why don't you give it a try?"**

** Slicktrack did so with a running start and changes into an all flame red MV Augusta F4 1000 R motorcycle. "Whoa, somehow I just feel faster in this new form"!**

** "Well let's put it to the test, we have a friend to reunite with." The two Transformers head out in their new vehicle modes and in no time flat they're just about three klicks out.**

** "Hold up," Slicktrack says, "I got several signals at twelve o'clock high, pump the brakes"! Hound and Slicktrack stop abruptly and hear the sound of several jets overhead fly by fast and fire their payloads at their destination. "From here on out, we proceed with caution." The Autobots get closer to their destination and they start to notice the scrapped bodies of Decepticon soldiers, a **_**lot**_** of scrapped Decepticon bodies. "This is definitely Chromesmasher's handy work; there are only a few Autobots online who can take on all these Cons by themselves."**

** Suddenly, they hear a scream and the two Autobots take cover and poke there head out at the scene in front of them. It was a clearing, now barren due to the airstrike, and Slicktrack saw several Decepticon fliers in a semicircle surrounding a captured Chromesmasher. The large Autobot looked all dinged and scratched up; no doubt that airstrike did a number on him. The Cons around him were all plain looking with the exception of three; Starscream and his lieutenants Thundercracker and Skywarp. The two twin fliers looked similar to their commander except Thundercracker had more blue and Skywarp had more purple.**

** "I will ask again Autobot," Starscream said, "Just tell me where your comrades are and I may let you live."**

** "And let me…tell you…again… Starscream," Chromesmasher said weakly, "Go eat slag, you pathetic, cowardly, filthy retro rat"!**

** Starscream converts his right arm into a cannon, points it in Chromesmasher's faceplate, and says, "Wrong answer." Starscream fires and blows Chromesmasher's head right off his body. Hound wanted to charge in and avenge his friend but Slicktrack held him back.**

** "Let me go"! Hound says, "That son of a glitch has to pay for that"!**

** "You don't think I want to go down there and slag him myself?" Slicktrack says, "All that will accomplish is giving the Decepticons target practice. We owe it to Chromesmasher to stay online, find the others, and learn what the Decepticons are up to so they don't do that again." Hound calms down and he agrees to the plan. They look back over to the Cons and watch as they all begin to take off.**

** "You two clean this up and then report back to the ship," Starscream ordered his look alikes, "I must report back to Lord Megatron or else he'll have me scrapped." Starscream changes into his jet form and takes off.**

** "Huh, the nerve of that guy," Skywarp says as he pulls out a large Energon bomb.**

** "What crawled up your exhaust port?" Thundercracker asks.**

** "I'm just saying that this Autobot killed thirty, **_**thirty**_** of our troops before Starscream ordered **_**us**_** to take him down." Skywarp places the bomb on the cadaver and sets the timer.**

** "So what's the big deal? Now we got one less Autobot to worry about. And this guy was tough, not someone **_**I**_** would tangle with."**

** "That's the point; you and Starscream are cowards. He had us do all the dirty work and then he just comes down here and executes him, stealing all the glory. He'll probably tell Megatron he did it by **_**himself**_**! If Megatron was here, he would have fought that Autobot one on one and then put him out of his pathetic misery"!**

** "But Megatron isn't here."**

** "Don't remind me. Come on, let's get back to base." The two fliers transform and fly off at break neck speed as the bomb detonates, leaving no trace that a body was there.**

** "Desecration, those Decepticons have no morals," Hound said shaking his head.**

** "Come on, let's get out of here," Slicktrack said. The two Autobots drive off and eventually found a way out of the forest and into a nearby city. When they hit the city limits, they activated a holographic projection unit on their person to make it look like an indigenous life form was "riding" them. "Okay, let's split up and explore this city, it doesn't hurt to get familiar with our surroundings."**

** "Roger that, just holler if something comes up." Hound turns left at an intersection as Slicktrack drives straight. After a few minutes, Slicktrack decided to park outside a local restaurant, turned off his holo human when no one was looking, and started collecting his thoughts.**

_**This is all screwed up; this is starting to look like that incident on Cybertron all over again**_** he thought. **_**No, by Primus no, no other Autobot will die on this rock as long as there is Energon coursing through my chassis**_**. As Slicktrack began thinking of battles long since passed, an argument was being had a few feet away on the sidewalk.**

** "But Yang, pleeeaaaasse can I can I can I?" Ruby Rose said pleading with her older sister.**

** "For the last time no"! Yang yelled "Ruby, you are not borrowing my motorcycle again, not after last time"!**

** "But I said I was sorry! It was an accident"!**

** "Ruby, why do you even need to **_**ride**_** a vehicle when you can run fast?" Blake asked.**

** "I like to feel the wind blow threw my hair"!**

** "But you can do that when you **_**run**_**"! Weiss added.**

** "Okay, I like to feel the power behind the handle bars. And I get tired when I run too long."**

** "In other words, you're lazy."**

** "Come on Yang, can't you just let me ride it one last time?" Yang's hair burned as hot as the sun, her eyes turned red, and she stared into her little sister's silver eyes with enough intensity to put the fear of God into her.**

** Ruby smiles weakly, chuckles, and says, "Never mind." Team RWBY walks past the restaurant and Ruby stops dead in her tracks to stare at a nice looking red motorcycle, a devilish grin spreading on her face. "Uh, you guys go on ahead, I just need to run into that Dust shop real quick, I'll see you later bye." Ruby runs into the shop, vanishing from sight, and leaves her confused teammates standing there. They shrug their shoulders and continue onward. As soon as they were out of sight, Ruby runs back out to the parking lot and begins inspecting the bike.**

** Slicktrack takes note of the strange organic female and wonders what her intent is. **_**Okay fleshy, just look, no touchy**_** he thinks. Ruby then hops onto the bike and starts rearranging the right mirror, twisting the handles.**

** "If only I had a bike like you, I could ride into battle and slay Grimm without wasting a breath"!**

_**What in the name of the Allspark are you talking about?! Are you some kind of warrior? What are these Grimm?**_** As Slicktrack pondered these questions, his internal sensors picked up three Decepticon life signals. He shifts his left mirror and sure enough there were three purple cars with the Decepticon insignia on them pointing straight at him. **_**Oh slag**_**. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Narrator:**_** Slicktrack's position has been compromised by a Decepticon patrol and now must make a difficult decision regarding the human Huntress sitting on him. Meanwhile, Starscream gives Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, his weekly report via a secure comm channel.**_

__**"So let me get this straight Starscream," Megatron said, his head on the view screen and sounding pissed, "You engaged an Autobot vessel, a ship that had no idea that you were there in the first place, and now you're telling me there were survivors?"**

** Starscream was nervous and tried to come up with an acceptable explanation, "Lord Megatron I assure you that I personally lead a taskforce to locate and terminate all of the Autobots. I even executed them myself to make one hundred percent certain the job was done correctly."**

** Megatron thinks on his second-in-commands words and decided that he didn't care. "Very well Starscream, I will take your word for it. What is the status on the Grimm, Energon and Dust situations?"**

** "First, we have seized approximately 70% of the Energon reserves and are mining it nonstop. Though, I find it pointless if we're just wasting it on the spacebridge to transfer these captured Grimm creatures and sending them to Cybertron. What is Shockwave doing to them anyway?"**

** "That is none of your concern Starscream; now stop your pathetic questions and tell me about the Dust"!**

** "Our collaborators are bringing them to us by the truckload, Lord Megatron. I do have to admit that despite its incompatibility with Cybertronian physiology, it is an effective weapon power source."**

** "Why do you think I sent you there in the first place? Just continue to stockpile it until I give you further orders."**

** "Yes Lord Megatron, Starscream out," Starscream and Megatron sever the links to each other at the same time.**

** Halfway across the universe, onboard the **_**Nemesis**_**, Megatron hangs up and turns to his trusted lieutenant Soundwave.**

** "Do you believe Starscream executed **_**all**_** the Autobots Lord Megatron?" Soundwave asked in his monotonous voice.**

** "Not for a nanosec Soundwave, I'm just going to wait until that idiot calls me to send reinforcements," Megatron responded. "When he does, contact Shockwave so he can send in his new pets."**

** Back on the **_**Fallen**_**, Starscream severs the line and ponders his next move. "You really think Megatron bought that sorry excuse?" Thundercracker asked.**

** Starscream walks up to him and slugs him across the faceplate, dropping him to the ground. He then kicked him, sending him skidding across the bridge. "**_**Never**_** talk to your superior that way Thundercracker"! Starscream yelled.**

** "Sir, one of Barricade's squads have discovered an Autobot survivor," a soldier reported from his terminal, "They are awaiting there rules of engagement."**

** "Why are those idiots even asking such a stupid question? When it comes to Autobots, terminate with extreme prejudice"!**

** "They are asking what they should do with a local involved."**

_**Did I pick a crew fresh off the assembly line?**_** Starscream asked himself. "Tell those fools to kill anyone and anything that gets in the way! When have civilian casualties ever slowed us down?" The soldier sends the message to the squad below as per his commander's orders.**

** "Roger that, they'll be dead before you can say 'Hail Megatron'," one of the Decepticon soldiers said back down on Remnant. All three of them turn on their high beams to get a better look at their targets.**

** Spotted, Slicktrack took off fast with Ruby hanging onto the handlebars for dear life. "What's going on?"! Ruby shouted in surprise while sitting herself back down.**

** "Kid if you want to live in the next five nanoseconds then sit down, shut up, and do what I say when I say it"!**

** "Who said that?"! Ruby looked around to find the source of the mystery voice to no avail. Slicktrack swerves onto incoming traffic, dashes through red lights, pretty much did whatever he could to lose the Decepticon squad. It was pointless as the Cons followed him straight on with no regard for the safety of other drivers.**

_**This isn't working**_** the Autobot thought. **_**I need to get them somewhere secluded so I can end this**_**. Slicktrack sees the harbor and notices the door to an abandoned warehouse was open. **_**It will have to do**_**. He turns into the harbor, drives straight into the warehouse and skids to a stop, sending Ruby flying. Ruby opens her weapon Crescent Rose and digs it's blade into the ground to stop her from crashing. She looks up and sees the motorcycle she rode on changed form into that of a nine foot tall red robot.**

** "Whoa," was all she needed to say to sum up the experience. The three purple cars that chased them entered the warehouse and changed into giant robots as well and pointed their arm cannons at them.**

** "Alright Cons, make my day," Slicktrack said as each hand produced a shuriken and he threw it at the Decepticons. The two he aimed for sidestepped and all three opened fire. Slicktrack ran right while changing his right arm into a blaster and returned a volley of his own, striking one right in the spark chamber killing him instantly. The other two stuck together as the Autobot charged at them in a serpentine movement, changed his left arm into a blade, and sliced a second Cons head clean off. The last one had a clear shot at Slicktrack's head but then got shot in the right optic by the human Huntress, who converted her weapon into its sniper mode. This distraction gave Slicktrack the chance to bury the blade right into the enemy's faceplate, sparks sizzling from the head as the machine dies. The Autobot retracts his blade and looks at the human. "What do you think you're doing?"**

** "What does it look like, shooting a giant robot that wanted to kill me"! Ruby responded.**

** "They're not after you, they're after…" the Autobot was interrupted by an energy blast to his back and he slid faceplate first towards Ruby.**

** "Boom, how many points was that Luxury?" asked a black and white Decepticon with a smoking arm cannon. He was asking a dark purple and pink fembot who looked rather unimpressed.**

** "On a scale from one to ten; I'd say four, Barricade," she responded.**

** "Four? That is at least a seven or eight tops"!**

** "What can I say; he was one of the little ones." She leaned forward with her hands on her knees and began taunting the recovering Autobot. "Who's a cute little Autobot? You are. Whose about to get slagged by Barricade? You are." As Slicktrack gets back on his feet, Barricade shoots him again, this time in the chest plate.**

** "Don't bother getting up on our account we'll just come over there and finish you off! So if you could just stay down and not fight back, that would be great." As they got closer, Ruby stepped between them, aiming her weapon at their heads.**

** "Don't come any closer"! Ruby yelled.**

** Luxury turns to Barricade and says, "Squish this bug and get on with it." However, before Barricade can take even one step, he was knocked back by an unseen force. Luxury turned to see her partner fall back and she soon joined him as she was hit from behind. The two pick themselves up to see a second Autobot materialize from nowhere and help his comrade up.**

** "Now there are two of them"! Barricade yelled. Just then, Hound drove in, transformed, and stood with the other Autobots.**

** "Wrong, no there's three of us"! Hound said as he pulled out his missile launcher.**

** "Slag it! Fall back"! Barricade transforms into a police cruiser and Luxury into a Ferrari 458 Italia and speed off.**

** "You alright Slicktrack?" asked the new white and blue Autobot.**

** Slicktrack rubs his head, looks at the newcomer and says, "Good to see my favorite cloaker is still functional. Glad you survived the crash Mirage."**

** "If that's how you save thank you, I guess I'll take it. But I'm afraid we can't stay here and chat, Red Alert needs our help."**

** "Sub-Commander Red Alert, he's alive too?" Hound asked.**

** "Follow me and I'll explain back at the ship." Mirage changes into a formula one race car and drove off. Hound and Slicktrack followed suit, but before the motorcycle could leave, Ruby stepped in front of him.**

** "Oh no, you are going to tell me what the hell that was all about?" Ruby asked.**

_**Argh, I don't have time for this**_** he thought. "Out of my way kid, I have important work to do"!**

** "Not until you explain to me how you are a robot, what those robots wanted, and how I can get my weapon to fire laser beams"!**

** Slicktrack sighed in defeat. "Alright hop on. You'll probably safer with us anyway."**

** Ruby smiled, hoped on the talking bike, and they drove off, catching up to the other Autobots.**

** "You're bringing the organic with you?" Mirage asked.**

** "I have a name you know"! Ruby yelled. "I'm Ruby Rose"!**

** "I figured she'd be better off with us. We don't want the Decepticons to attack her once we left," Slicktrack responded.**

** "Okay," Hound said reassured, "So Mirage, you said you're taking us back to the ship? Did you land near it?"**

** "I never **_**left**_** the ship," Mirage explained, "I was about to climb into my pod when the ship's engines exploded. I was knocked back and went into stasis. When I awoke, I went to the bridge to find a badly damaged Red Alert. I was able to stabilize him, but he needed some real help. So I've been looking for Medi when I intercepted Decepticon radio chatter saying they had you cornered Slicktrack. And I believe you know the rest."**

** "Medi, the ship's doctor, you think she's still online?"**

** "Beats me, but you two will have to do until we find her. Ah here we are." The Autobots had been driving past the city limits and made it to a secluded forest area. They were at the base of a mountain looking up at the **_**Vector Sailor's**_** damaged engines jetting out of the mountain with the rest of the ship buried in its side.**

_**What did I get myself into?**_** Ruby asked herself. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Narrator:**_** The Autobots have arrived at the crash site of the Vector Sailor to find only death and ruin. With their new human friend Ruby Rose, the Autobots begin making repairs to their ship's systems while their new commander Red Alert rests in what's left of sickbay.**_

_**Wow, I can't believe I'm on a real spaceship that came from space!**_** Ruby thought as she turned her head in every direction on the bridge. She was standing next to Slicktrack, who was busy trying to repair the ship's auto-defense systems. Hound was tinkering with the communications array so they can send a distress signal and Mirage was moving the deceased crew members to the storage compartment until they can receive proper last rites. "So Slicktrack, how about it?" she asked.**

** "About what," the Autobot asked, not taking his optics off his work.**

** "You promised to answer all my questions if I agreed to come with you"!**

** Slicktrack sighs in defeat, not wishing to get into another argument. "Very well, what do you wish to know?"**

** "Okay first… where are you from? Why are you so big? How do you get such awesome weapons? Can I get a weapon like yours? No, a **_**bigger**_** weapon than yours"!**

** "ENOUGH"! Slicktrack's yell echoed throughout the ship. **_**For Primus sake she's worse than Blur!**_** "I'll answer your questions **_**one**_** at a time. And no to anything weapon related. First of all, we come from a planet called Cybertron."**

** "What's it like there?"**

** "Right about now; barren and filled with the corpses of millions of dead bots, but before the war, it was peaceful."**

** "War between those other robots, what were they called, the Decpeticreeps?"**

** Slicktrack smirked at her assumption. "Decepti**_**cons**_**, but Decpeticreeps is an acceptable answer. The Cons want absolute universal domination under the reign of their lord and master, Megatron."**

** "With a name like that it sounds like someone has a major ego."**

** "Like you wouldn't believe, but he is still the most fearsome and terrifying warrior in the known universe. We Autobots on the other hand, under the guiding leadership of Optimus Prime, believe freedom is the right of all sentient beings. We will fight the Decepticons and protect all those they harm, no matter what the cost."**

"**But have the Autobots and Decepticons **_**ever**_** tried to call a truce?"**

**Slicktrack sighs again and says, "Ruby, it's a long and complicated story. I'd be happy to give you the intricate details when I'm **_**not**_** trying to repair a vital part of our ship."**

**Ruby looked said and defeated when she said, "Okay, I'll let you get back to work." She turns to see the door slide open and Red Alert staggered in clutching his side. Slicktrack and Hound stopped what they were doing and helped their new commander stand up straight.**

"**Red Alert what are you doing out of stasis?" Hound asked concerned. "You need to rest otherwise you'll just be burning precious Energon."**

"**I heard Mirage was moving the deceased to cargo," he responded, "I wanted to be the one who moved Alpha Centari." The three Autobots and human turned to the captain's chair to see the slumped body of Alpha Centari still sitting there, his sword on the ground and no life in his eyes.**

"**Thanks, because no offense, he was kind of creeping me out," Ruby said.**

**Red Alert just stared at her for a second before moving to Alpha's side. He was not pleased when Slicktrack explained that their cover was blown, but he also understood that she would have been a target of the Decepticons if they did nothing. "Alpha Centari was a brave warrior and a beloved leader. His Spark is now one with Matrix." Red Alert puts the arm of his deceased leader over his shoulder and begins carrying him out. Hound helps by carrying him by the other side. When they left, Slicktrack picked up the sword and put it on a nearby table.**

"**That's a nice looking sword," Ruby commented.**

**Slicktrack couldn't help but agree. "This is an old fashioned blade that has tasted the fluids of any unfortunate enough to cross paths with the commander. You know, it is said that this blade was passed down from warrior to warrior going back as far as Prima himself." Ruby just looked confused at Slicktrack's statement. "I'm sorry; you have no idea what I'm talking about."**

"**It's okay; I'm just sorry for your loss."**

"**We lost a lot more than the commander in the crash. Hound and I watched as the Decepticons executed a good friend of ours before we met. And now I feel useless not knowing if a similar fate awaits Medi or any other survivor."**

"**Slicktrack, you can't lose hope that your friends are still alive. I would be honored to help you look for them."**

"**Thanks for the offer Ruby, but we would have no idea where to look until all of our systems are back online. And besides, shouldn't you be returning home or something?"**

**Ruby gasped as she took out her phone and checked the time. "Oh crap! My team is probably on their way back to Beacon by know! Yang will be so worried about me, what will I do?"!**

**At that time, Red Alert, Hound, and Mirage walk in to hear the panicked Huntress. "What's with all the screeching?" Mirage asked.**

"**I need to get back to the school! Can one of you drive me or something?"**

"**Perhaps we can do one better," Hound says.**

"**Wait, you don't mean…?" Red Alert started.**

"**As it turns out, the only things not damaged in the crash where the Ground Bridge and Navigation systems, so getting Ruby back home would only take a nanosec."**

**Ground Bridge, what is that?" Ruby asked.**

"**Think of it as a teleporter that can take you anywhere on your planet," Slicktrack said. "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe and will get you back home."**

"**Yes, and **_**you're**_** going with her Slicktrack," Red Alert said.**

"**WHAT?" Slicktrack and Ruby said at the same time.**

**Meanwhile onboard the **_**Fallen**_**, Luxury and Barricade had returned to report back to Starscream. Suffice to say, he was not happy.**

"**So not only did you find out there were more survivors, but you **_**failed**_** to destroy them?" Starscream asked furiously.**

"**Starscream…" Luxury began.**

**The **_**Fallen**_**'s captain grabbed her by the collar and said, "**_**Lord**_** Starscream."**

"…_**Lord**_** Starscream, we were outnumbered and decided to cut our losses."**

"**Three Autobots to two Decepticons is hardly considered being outnumbered. You should be ashamed of yourselves."**

_**Like you would have stayed and fought**_** Barricade thought. "Look at it this way Lord Starscream, it was a tactical retreat. There could have been more on the way that the lovely Luxury and I could have been unable to handle. For all we know, there could have been twenty Autobot survivors."**

**Starscream thought about Barricades case and said, "I suppose, but let us hope that you are wrong about the number of survivors. So far, based on your reports, there are three survivors. To insure it stays that way, we will continue to monitor all forms of communication and flag all Autobot signals. If any more survivors are detected, I'll either send the two of you or Thundercracker and Skywarp to deal with them. For now, you're dismissed." Barricade and Luxury saluted and strolled out of the bridge.**

"**Thanks for having my back partner," Luxury said giving him a wink.**

"**Yeah well, I didn't want Starscream to scrap you. Been awhile since I worked with someone so…" Barricade looked up and down at his partner, "…Competent."**

"**I'm flattered, I think. So, is Ravage on loan from Soundwave or did he prefer you as his new master?"**

**Barricade stopped dead in his tracks at Luxury's statement. "How do you know about…?"**

"**I saw you smuggle him aboard when Megatron assigned us to the **_**Fallen**_**." She pressed him against the wall and aligned her faceplate with his. "Care to share, **_**partner**_**?"**

**Back on Remnant, on the cliff where the Beacon cadets were launched for their Initiation, a swirling bluish-green vortex emerged and Ruby rode out on Slicktrack in his vehicle mode. They made it to the garage where Ruby pulled Slicktrack inside by his handle bars and closed the doors. "So for now, this is where you will stay, cozy right?" Ruby said weakly.**

"**Cozy? I'm packed in here with four other bikes"! Slicktrack yelled. "Not to mention I can't stretch my legs"!**

"**Sorry this is the best I can do, we'll figure something out later but for now I have to check in with my team." Ruby runs out and leaves the Autobot on his own with four non-transforming vehicles.**

"_**You will be Ruby Roses' guardian. Keep her safe and learn about this society so we'll know how to blend in better."**_** Slicktrack was recalling what Red Alert told him before sending him off on his new assignment. **_**Primus must be pulling some sick joke on me**_** he thought.**

**Ruby makes it to her dorm room where Yang was staring at her when she opened the door. Weiss and Blake just looked on from their beds. "Ruby, where the hell have you been?" her older sister asked.**

"**I was just looking around at the shops and lost track of time. Besides, I'm team leader; I don't have to tell you guys where I'm going **_**every time**_**."**

"**Regardless, you're still my **_**baby**_** sister and I worry about you."**

"**Well don't, I can take care of myself. So can we please just get some rest?" The girls changed into their sleep attire and went to sleep.**

**Outside the dorm building, under the cover of darkness, a black, robot panther with twin rockets on his hips, stood outside the building, a Decepticon insignia on his left shoulder blade. It opened its mouth and replied a fragment of the conversation. **_**"Regardless, you're still my baby sister and I worry about you."**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Narrator: **_**It has been two days since Slicktrack has joined Ruby at Beacon Academy. While the Huntress-in-training and Autobot soldier have adjusted to new dynamics, Mirage and Hound have successfully repaired functionally on the ship. Meanwhile, Barricade collects a sensitive dead-drop.**_

** Barricade treks through the Emerald Forest to the location of one of Ravage's marked trees and collects a data packet he must relay to Lord Megatron. He picks up the packet and puts it inside a compartment in his right arm.**

** "Ah, is that a present for **_**moi**_**?" a feminine voice said from behind. Spooked, Barricade turns to see Luxury standing there, glistening in the sunlight.**

** "Luxury, what a pleasure to see you," Barricade said laughing weakly. "Did you follow me here?"**

** "I had to; you've been avoiding me since I found out about Ravage. Speaking of Soundwave's favorite pet minicon, what did he leave for you this time?"**

** "Fraid I can't discuss that, classified, you understand?"**

** "No, I don't." She moves forward and puts a servo on his chest plate. "If we're going to be partners, we need to know everything about each other. And I do mean **_**everything.**_**"**

** Barricade thinks on this and decides to relent. "Alright, it goes back to when we were assigned to this mission…"**

_**Flashback, Scene: the Nemesis**_

** Barricade stood at attention on the deck of the **_**Nemesis**_**, at the very heart of the Decepticon fleet. Soundwave stared at his comrade while Megatron stared out the window, his hands behind his back. The door slides open and Luxury struts inside and bows to Megatron as he turns to address his troops. "All hail the mighty Megatron," she says. "Oops, sorry, I think I just stole Shockwave's line."**

** "Stop your prattle woman and listen." Luxury's smile fades and stands at attention like Barricade. "The reason why I called you here Luxury is that I'm assigning you to be Barricade's new partner for a mission." The two Decepticons exchange glances at each other and look back at Megatron.**

** "Lord Megatron, what happened to Brawl?" Barricade asked. Megatron glares at his subordinate for his question. Nervous, he says, "I'm not questioning your reasons master, I'm just curious on the state of my comrade."**

** "Brawl will be rejoining the rest of the Combaticons for another assignment. I require Bruticus's raw power to deal with Prime. As you two know, I have recently given Starscream command of the **_**Fallen**_**."**

_**Yeah, did you blow a circuit or two my Lord?**_** Barricade thought.**

** "His mission is to locate not only more Energon vein's, but, on the world I'm sending him, he is to collect samples of a new energy source and some interesting specimens. I have allowed Starscream to assemble his crew and keep his lieutenants, provided I assign officers to his ship. I have chosen you two for this assignment because of your undying loyalty to the Decepticon cause. Make sure Starscream stays on task and report any suspicious activity. Is that understood?"**

** "Yes, Lord Megatron," they said together.**

** "Very good, you are dismissed." The two Decepticons started for the door when Megatron added, "Barricade, a moment." Luxury looks back puzzled but shakes it off and continues on. Barricade returns to his position and awaited Megatron's orders. Megatron turns to his most trusted soldier and says, "Soundwave?"**

** "Ravage eject, Operation: Shadow Spy," Soundwave said as he pressed a button on his chest and the feline machine pops out.**

** "Barricade, you are to sneak Ravage onboard the **_**Fallen**_**. No one is to see him. Once you reach your destination, release him into the wild and Ravage will take it from there. You are also to collect any dead drops Ravage leaves behind and report them back to Soundwave."**

** "Of course my lord, may I ask why?"**

** Megatron growls, but decides to enlighten his soldier on a fraction of the plan. After all, Barricade has been here since the beginning, a member of his inner circle if you will. "Let's just say that Starscream's objectives are just mere bonuses on Remnant. I'm seeking the **_**real**_** prize."**

_**Present Day**_

** "The **_**real**_** prize, what did Megatron mean?" Luxury asked.**

** "He wouldn't tell me, probably to keep me from spilling my Energon to nosy little snoops like you," Barricade replied.**

** "Oh come on, you know you were **_**dying**_** to tell some bot."**

** "Whatever, let's just get out of here." Barricade calls in a Ground Bridge extract and the two Cons walk into the vortex and return to base.**

** Meanwhile, in another forest closer to Beacon, Ruby rode Slicktrack to a familiar, ruined site. Ruby hops off and Slicktrack transforms. The Autobot inspects the damage around him. "Looks like there was a battle here, a big one" he says as he inspects a few destroyed bridges now disconnected from the tower.**

** "Yeah, this is where my friends and I worked together to kill a Deathstalker and Nevermore," Ruby explained.**

** "The avian and arthropod Grimm creatures, right?"**

** "Uh, yeah sure, anyway this is also where I first demonstrated my greatness as a team leader." Ruby sighs and adds, "Sometimes however, I just wish they treated me seriously, especially Yang."**

** "Is this about that argument you two had the night I came here? I thought you were over that?"**

** "Not really, I mean, I know Yang is just looking out for me but she's so over protective. She thinks I should tell her where I am at all times and what I'm doing. I shouldn't have to tell her anything I don't want her to know right? I mean, I am the leader."**

** Slicktrack stares at Ruby, drops to one knee to make eye contact, and says, "Ruby, listen to me and I mean **_**listen**_**. Yes, as a leader your team, **_**including**_** your sister, must respect the chain of command. **_**However**_**, you have responsibilities to your team as well."**

** "What do you mean?"**

** "Well, your sister is right about knowing where you are. What kind of leader thinks that she doesn't have to tell her team, her charges, where she is? What if something happened to them and you're not there? Who would guide them in their darkest hour? It's thinking like that that gets soldiers killed"! Ruby was taken aback by the Autobot's statement, which Slicktrack immediately regretted. "Ruby I'm sorry, I didn't…" Slicktrack's apology was interrupted by an incoming transmission from the **_**Vector Sailor**_**.**

_**"Slicktrack come in, Slicktrack you there?"**_** Hound asked.**

** "I'm here Hound, what's the situation?"**

_**"An ERB was just picked up on an island off the coast of Vale City."**_

__**"Could it be Medi?"**

_**"Were not sure but let's hope so. We're running low on the Energon reserves that survived the crash. We need as much as possible for any surgery required to patch up Red Alert. I'm sending a Ground Bridge to your location. We'll port you back to base and then you and Mirage will investigate the signal. I'll remain here to watch over Red Alert."**_

** "Sounds like a plan, see you in a few." Slicktrack hung up and looked down at Ruby, all sad and depressed looking. "Ruby, I…"**

** "You need to go, I understand. Good luck." She smiled weakly and he returned the favor. In no time, a Ground Bridge appears and he returns to base.**

** Onboard the **_**Fallen**_**, Starscream observes the Emergency Response Beacon his men intercepted as Thundercracker and Skywarp enter the bridge.**

** "You wanted to see us Lord Starscream?" Skywarp asked.**

** "Yes, we've intercepted an Autobot ERB, most likely another survivor from the destroyed ship. I'm sending you two with a squadron of Seeker troops to bring the Autobot to me **_**alive**_**."**

** "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what happened to killing every single Autobot on this dirtball?" Thundercracker asked.**

** Starscream glared at his subordinate and explained his glorious plan. "If we kill this one Autobot, then we would have to wait for another opportunity to get the other three, right?" The two Seeker clones nod their heads and lean in for more info. "So I propose we take this Autobot hostage, set up a scenario where we can meet the others, and then snuff out all **_**four **_**of their sparks at once! Genius is it not?" The two look alikes nod their heads in agreement. "So go out there and do it"! They ran out of the bridge, assembled a team to meet them on the deck, and flew off in vehicle mode.**

** Back on the **_**Nemesis,**_** Soundwave received new information from his minicon. "Lord Megatron, new Intel from Ravage has arrived," Soundwave said. Megatron walks towards him and Soundwave holds out a device. Holographic images play out for the Decepticon leader with text in their native tongue scrolled at the bottom. Megatron observed the images of a red hooded girl riding a motorcycle positively identified as an Autobot. Next, an image of Barricade talking to Luxury, the text revealed that Ravages' presence was compromised. And finally, like the last three briefings, was a video log of a mysterious orange haired girl with bright green eyes inside an abandoned building. She looked to be talking aloud to no one in particular and the text has classified her as inorganic.**

** "Interesting, have Ravage continue to monitor this girl, she may be onto something," Megatron commanded.**

** "As you command, Lord Megatron," Soundwave said. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Narrator: **_**Slicktrack and Mirage have arrived at their destination in the hopes of locating Medi before the Decepticons. As Thundercracker and Skywarp prepare for battle, Ravage attempts another incursion at Beacon Academy.**_

** The Ground Bridge portal opens in a forested clearing on the island and Slicktrack and Mirage walk out. As the portal fades, the two Autobots survey their surroundings with weapons drawn. "Clear," Slicktrack said retracting his blasters.**

** "Same," Mirage muttered as he holstered his assault rifle. He held up a remote device that tracks ERB signals and pointed it upwards, attempting to get a signal. He smiled as he saw a red Autobot signal flare up. "I'm getting a signal three klicks towards the south end of the island."**

** "It's a good thing this place isn't that big, but the traction of the terrain and thickness of the woods puts us at a disadvantage, we can't transform." Slicktrack tapped his foot onto the soft, sandy ground and looked around at the trees.**

** "No worries, we find Medi, have Hound bridge us back to base, and then get Red Alert patched up. How hard can it be?" Just as he said that, Decepticon Seekers rain down blaster fire from above. The Autobots take cover and retaliate.**

** "You just had to jinx us didn't you?"!**

** "What's a jinx?"**

** "I don't know, just some human term I learned from Ruby."**

** In the clouds, Thundercracker and Skywarp remained stationary as the ten Seekers they brought descended and transformed to engage the enemy groundside. "Skywarp, assist the troops, I'll get the Autobot," Thundercracker said as he took off.**

** "Wait, what?" Skywarp said confused as he saw Thundercracker's engine in the distance. "Who died and made him commander?"**

** Back on the ground, the Autobots had already taken down half the Seekers when Slicktrack saw Thundercracker fly off in the direction of the signal. "Scrap! Mirage, stay here and hold them off, I'll go find Medi"! Slicktrack yelled as he ran south.**

** "You got it"! Mirage yelled back, knowing his partner couldn't hear him. Down to four Seekers, Mirage activates his cloak unit and disappears before the Seeker's optics.**

** "Where'd the Autobot go?" one of the Seekers asked.**

** "Right here," Mirage said in thin air as he popped a viroblade from his right arm and slashed two Seekers, stabbed one in the Spark, and beheaded the last one. As they all fell, Mirage became visible again and retracted his weapon. **_**One day, hopefully, all this violence won't be necessary**_** he thought.**

** "Not bad Autobot," Skywarp said as he instantly teleported from the sky to the ground in robot mode. Mirage looked surprised at the instantaneous movement. "But you're not the only one here who came packin."**

** At Beacon Academy in the kennel area where they keep Grimm for Prof Port's class, Ravage was pretending to sleep, holographically disguised as a Beowolf. After delivering the dead-drop for Barricade earlier this morning, Ravage decided to test a new holo-disguiser unit developed by Shockwave to allow himself to get captured by the human Hunters. "Waking up", he slashed the cage door open with ease and scanned the entire storage building in thermal and infra-red vision. With not a single human inside, he walked to the door and peered outside. With the coast clear, he activated a cloaking unit Shockwave salvaged for him from one of their deceased warriors back on Cybertron and ran across the lawn, merely a fast moving shimmer a human could mistake for rising heat.**

** Making his way to the main building, Ravage climbed through the window and entered an empty class room. Using his tail, he extended it to open the door, but quickly closed it enough to peer out as he heard two female humans approaching.**

** "Ugh! Ruby and Yang's bickering lately is driving me crazy"! Weiss said loudly. "Is this how they felt when **_**we **_**argued?"**

** "Probably, but much like our disagreement, I'm sure they'll work it out," Blake said assuredly.**

** "I don't know, Ruby has been acting pretty strange lately, like she's keeping secrets."**

** "Maybe she has a boyfriend?" The two teammates look at each other for ten seconds before bursting out with laughter. Their laughter continued as they rounded a corner and Ravage slipped out. The feline Decepticon found the door to the basement and climbed down the stairs. Using night and UV vision, Ravage discovered the secret entrance to where Beacon Academy keeps its computer mainframe. The Decepticon converted the tip of his tail to fit the port of the server and commenced copying and downloading data.**

_**"Keeping Secrets,"**_** Ravage said in an auto-tone Weiss voice as information scrolled across his optics.**

** On the south beach of the island, a white and crimson red Autobot fembot with a medical plus sign on each forearm crouched near the shore away from the tide as she looked out at the ocean. **_**I don't know what to do**_** she thought. **_**Do I just rust here and die waiting for a rescue? Some Autobot I turned out to be.**_** Medi heard an engine above her and saw a Seeker Commander drop down, transform, and points a blaster in her face.**

** "Come quietly Doc or get scrapped, your choice," Thundercracker said.**

** "Don't bet on it Con"! Slicktrack yelled as his heel connected with the Seeker's face. Thundercracker fell, spinning onto the beach. Slicktrack landed in front of Medi, turned his head and yelled, "Run"! Medi complied as she sprinted down the beach.**

** "You won't get far"! Thundercracker said as he shifted his arm into a blaster. He was about to shoot when Slicktrack kicked the blaster out towards the ocean and punched the Decepticon dead center in the face.**

** In the woods, Mirage was having a hard time hitting an enemy that can teleport. Every time he takes aim and fires with his rifle, Skywarp teleports to the right, left, away, or behind him, just toying with the Autobot.**

** "You…couldn't…hit…me…if…you…tried"! Skywarp said teleporting between words. Frustrated, Mirage just fired blindly at the Decepticon hoping to get a lucky shot out, to no avail. **_**Ugh! Calm down and think this through**_** Mirage thought. **_**Oh, wait I almost forgot!**_** Mirage turned invisible and Skywarp lost track of the cloaker.**

** "Uh Oh," the Seeker said.**

** "My turn," Mirage said as Skywarp was pummeled by invisible fists across his chest and face plates. Skywarp began teleporting as far away as possible to recover but would soon get trounced again.**

_**What's the point of teleportation if I can't see who I'm trying to evade!**_** The Seeker thought. "Scrap this"! Skywarp changed into jet mode and took off into the skies.**

** "Good, now to check on Slicktrack." Mirage ran off to regroup with his partner.**

** Thundercracker fired from both his arm blasters as Slicktrack ran towards him firing back. Both produced a viroblade and connected energized steel as they came face to face. Thundercracker tried to sucker punch the Autobot with his free hand but Slicktrack ducked and swept the legs. He jumped on the Seeker and pinned him down by the shoulders. Slicktrack switched his weapon back into a blaster and pointed it in the Decepticons face.**

** "Talk Con! Why are you here? What is Starscream after?" Slicktrack shouted, asking questions he demanded answers to.**

** "What do you think we're here for?"! Thundercracker responded. "We just want to harness more Energon to kill Autobots"!**

** "Don't feed me that slag! Starscream wouldn't send his lieutenants to do a job Seeker troops might accomplish. What is Starscream after that he doesn't want us to find?"**

** "Nothing in particular, we we're ordered by Lord Megatron to harvest Energon **_**and**_** acquire samples of Dust as well as those strange black and white creatures"!**

** "Dust, Grimm? What do the Decepticons want with…?" Thundercracker sensed Slicktrack's momentary hesitation, changed into his alt-mode, and flew off, knocking Slicktrack on his backside. Mirage came out of the trees at that moment and helped his buddy up.**

** "You alright Slicktrack, is Medi okay?" Mirage asked.**

** Slicktrack looks over to Medi, returning to see that the battle has ended. "Slicktrack, Mirage, you came for me?" the medical officer asked.**

** "Of course," Slicktrack answered, "Autobots never abandon their own."**

** "Thank you."**

** "Hound, we need a Ground Bridge, mission accomplished," Mirage said into his comm link.**

** Hound responds, **_**"Roger that, sending it…now."**_** The portal appears in front of them and the three Autobots walk in, returning to base.**

** In the skies away from the island, Thundercracker caught up with Skywarp.**

** "Starscream isn't going to be happy about this," Skywarp said as the two Seekers fly off to rejoin the **_**Fallen**_**.**

** Back at Beacon, in the office of Headmaster Ozpin, he was typing on his tablet when an emergency alarm rang on it. He scrolled through the message and contacted Glenda Goodwitch. "Ms. Goodwitch, we have a breach," he said with hardened calmness.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Narrator: **_**With the Autobot's mission accomplished, Medi preps for surgery with the hopes of stabilizing Red Alert. Meanwhile, Beacon Academy is put on high alert as Prof Ozpin sounds the alarm.**_

** Blake and Weiss stop in their tracks as an alarm is sounded throughout the school. "Blake, what's happening?" Weiss asked as Glenda Goodwitch's voice booms over the intercom.**

_**"Attention, the school has been infiltrated by an unknown enemy, all students and instructors remain on alert"!**_

** "'An unknown enemy, what does that mean Blake? Blake?" Weiss looks around and sees Blake going back around the corner and sees a door to the basement cracked open.**

** "Weiss over here," the Faunus girl said with her weapon raised. Weiss pulled out her dust rapier and followed Blake downstairs. They came across the entrance to a secret room and entered with extreme caution.**

** Inside the server room, Ravage heard two sets of footprints enter and removed his tail from the computer terminal. He then cloaked and silently walked to the side of the room.**

** "Blake, what is all of this?" Weiss asked.**

** "This looks like some kind of central computer hub," she responds. "Maybe this is where all the information regarding students and teachers are held."**

** "Good thing Jaune isn't here, he'd probably want to change his history grade to something more **_**positive**_**." Blake showed a thin smile, but heard feet shuffling to her left. She shifts to the source of the sound and points her weapon as she saw a shimmer sprint out of the room.**

** "Right there, get after it"! Blake sprinted after the anomaly with Weiss trailing behind.**

** Once upstairs, Ravage ran into the empty classroom and jumped through a window, shattering the glass. The Decepticon Minicon proceeded across the lawn as its cloaker deactivated from a lack of power. Yang saw the giant cat robot run past her followed by Blake.**

** "Hey, what's new Pussy Cat?" Yang yelled, not specifying who she meant.**

** "It's the intruder"! Blake called back from a distance.**

** Smiling now that she gets to hurt something, Yang cocks her Ember Cecilia's and runs after the intruder, firing off a few rounds.**

** Ravage felt a round pierce his side, stops, and turns around to address the threat. Two organics stood in front of him. One registered as **_**Homo sapien**_**, the other marked as **_**Homo mammalian**_** due to unique genetic characteristics.**

** "So Blake, anything you want to tell me?" the blond one asked.**

** "Yang, just because this thing looks like a panther, that doesn't mean I have anything to do with it," the one known as Blake retorted.**

** The one now identified as Yang just shrugs her shoulders and positions her arms to attack. Yang charges and Ravage jumps back out of the way, opened his mouth, and fired a beam of Energon. Yang rolls out of the way and fires off another round. Blake throws Gambol Shroud and the blade embeds itself in Ravages shoulder.**

** Swiping at the ribbon and cutting it like a knife through butter, Ravage charges forward and swipes a claw at Yang's head, cleaving off a few locks of hair from her head as she rolled back. Enraged and her eyes turning red, fire erupts from her Aura and runs towards the Decepticon, pounding on its body with ferocity and knocks it all the way to the edge of the cliff near the helipad.**

** Sensing several external and internal injuries, Ravage knew that its best chance at survival would be to retreat. But as a loyal Decepticon, he knew that retreating from an insect such as this would disgrace not only the Decepticon name and his handler Soundwave, but Megatron as well! Refusing to back down, Ravage scanned and anticipated each of the blond ones movements, dodging each one, turning around, and kicking her in her mid-section with his hind legs. Yang was sent back, but before she could fully recover, Ravage fired a missile from each hip. Yang was caught in the subsequent explosions, but fortunately her Aura took the brunt of the attack. But Blake was still shocked to see her partner lying still in a crater, covered in soot and dirt.**

** Ravage looked at the prone prey, mimicked his master's voice and declared, "**_**Organics inferior, Decepticons superior."**_** Ravage ran to the cliff and jumped off, disappearing from sight.**

** Weiss and Ruby, the former finally catching up from the school and the latter hearing about the intrusion from a text to her Scroll while training in the forest. The entire team stood over Yang's unconscious body, and Ruby dropped to her knees, sobbing into Yang's jacket.**

** "Oh my God Yang, this is my fault"! Ruby yelled.**

** Back onboard the **_**Vector Sailor**_**, Slicktrack, Mirage, and Hound waited for news on Red Alert's condition. Suddenly, Slicktrack's comm link goes active and sees it's a call from Ruby. The day after they were partnered up, Slicktrack gave her his transmission signal in case she ever needed him. "Ruby, what's up?"**

** Slicktrack heard sniffing and other melancholy sounds from his human partner. "Slicktrack…it's my sister."**

** After Hound activated the Ground Bridge and sent him to the garage in vehicle mode, the Autobot listened to Ruby as she explains what happened, recounting what she herself heard from Blake. Listening to the details of the attacker, Slicktrack knew exactly who they were dealing with. "The one your team encountered is a Decepticon named Ravage, an infiltration Minicon of the highest caliber. If he was here, then that means he was after whatever Intel is being hid at your school." Slicktrack moved his mirror to see Ruby sitting on the floor looking down, not paying attention. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't be elaborating like this while your sibling lies in intensive care."**

** Looking up with dried tears, Ruby said, "No, it's just you were right."**

** "Right about what exactly?"**

** "About informing my team where I am and how someone would die if I wasn't there. Now my sister nearly died and I wasn't there to come up with a strategy to save her. What kind of leader am I?"**

** Slicktrack looked at her through his head lights and drove up to her. He nudged her arm with his front tire. "Ruby, about earlier, I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. It's just hearing what you said touched a nerve."**

** "What do you mean?"**

** "Back on Cybertron, during the war, I was the leader of my own team." Ruby looked up, surprised to hear that her robot friend has more in common with her than she thought. "We were young, cocky, and good at trashing 'Cons. We boasted a zero mortality rate on every mission; I never lost a single bot."**

** "What happened?"**

** Slicktrack inhaled and began his tragic tale. "It was during the Battle of Tyger Pax, my squad was holding the line at one of the checkpoints on the highway. The Decepticons kept coming and we kept knocking them down. But then one of my guys caught a sight of Megatron himself far off in the distance, alone. I was brash and felt invincible when I left my second in command in charge to tackle the Decepticon big bot himself on my own."**

** "Did you…?"**

** "No, Megatron kicked the Energon right out of me. I should have known better, the bot was a freaking gladiator before the war, what chance did I **_**really**_** have? I would like to say I got in a few lucky hits, but, then I'd be lying to you. Before Megatron could finish me off, Theta Centari and his squad came in to evac all remaining Autobots from the losing battle. I was taken to a triage facility on the outskirts of the city."**

** "What happened to your team?"**

** The question hit Slicktrack like a ton of bricks as he remembered what happened.**

_**Flashback: Millions of years ago, Triage Facility outside Tyger Pax**_

** "His auditory sensors are coming back on line sir," a fem bot doctor reported to an unseen officer. Slicktrack slowly blinked and then opened his optics wide. He rose slowly to see he was in a triage facility with other wounded or dying bots. Some of them like himself were hooked up to an Energon line while others were being carted off to the scrap pile. Slicktrack recognized his doctor to be Medi, one of old Ratchet's apprentices still receiving medical training. Ratchet himself was across the room, shaking his head mournfully at some kind of failure. He saw that in the bed was Bumblebee, Optimus Prime's scout. The officer Medi was talking to was not Theta as he thought, but commander of the Wreckers; Ultra Magnus.**

** "Soldier, you have a lot of explaining to do," the large blue Autobot sporting a hammer said.**

** "S-Sir…?" Slicktrack began.**

** "You left your soldiers at the mercy of the Decepticon combiner Bruticus as he laid waste to our bots on the highway. And according to Commander Theta Centari, you were evaced several klicks away after an engagement with Megatron. Care to explain your actions?"**

** Slicktrack was still shocked at Ultra Magnus's first statement; his squad was dead, killed by Bruticus. But he couldn't dwell on it for long because Magnus was expecting an answer. "Sir, I just thought that if I could take down Megatron, I could end this war."**

** "Well soldier, despite your intentions, you abandoned your men at the mercy of the enemy. Your duty isn't to end the war; it is to fight it while commanding your squad. And to command your squad, you must be **_**with**_** your men. If the old ways were still in place, you would be brought before a military tribunal, charged for your crimes, and punished accordingly."**

** "But that is no longer an option," Everyone's optics turned to see Optimus Prime himself stroll into the facility. He stopped and walked over to Ratchet with his optics on Bumblebee. "How is he Ratchet?"**

** "He will be fighting fit before you know it, but regrettably, his voice box was damaged beyond repair. I did my best, but his replacement isn't exactly up to standards."**

** Optimus puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "You did everything you could my friend, do not beat yourself up." Ratchet looks down and heads off to treat another patient. Optimus turns his gaze to Slicktrack and walks to his bedside. "How are you feeling Slicktrack?"**

** "With all due respect sir, I feel like a pile of molten slag," the soldier responds.**

** "Optimus sir, Slicktrack abandoned his troops to the mercy of the Decepticons while trying to achieve glory by fighting Megatron," Ultra Magnus said. "He should be court martialed."**

** "Under other circumstances, you would be correct, but we cannot afford to lose any Autobots. But Ultra Magnus is right about one thing Slicktrack; you abandoned your soldiers, and that cannot be forgiven so easily. I hereby strip you of your command, and place you under the charge of Theta Centari. Is there anything you wish to say on your defense?"**

** Slicktrack turned his head at his leader and stated, "I should have died with my men."**

** Optimus walks up to the Autobot and places a hand on his arm. "Perhaps one day you will prove yourself a competent leader again. Until then, learn from Alpha Centari, and you may find the path to leadership from your experiences." Optimus and Magnus turn and leave the facility, leaving Slicktrack to his thoughts.**

_**Present**_

** Ruby looked at Slicktrack in a whole new light as he finished telling her about his past. She stands and rubs his left handlebar. "I had no idea you had so much pain," she said.**

** "Learn from your mistakes and experiences Ruby, it will only make you a stronger leader," Slicktrack said.**

** Ruby smiles and thanks her robot friend. "Maybe, if it's all right with you and the others, I could introduce my team to you guys."**

** "I would have to speak to Red Alert, but I think that would be best."**

_**The Kingdom of Vacuo**_

** Decepticon soldiers stood guard outside one of the largest Energon mines on Remnant while workers mined non-stop for the war effort. Hiding behind the trees of the forest, a blue Autobot with his head resembling a samurai's helmet observed his enemy's. He held one of his swords tightly in the grasp of his right hand, in the event an enemy tried to sneak up on him. The Autobot, Drift, was deep in thought while contemplating his next move.**

_**Decepticons, I must inform Theta-Sensei **_**he thought.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Narrator: **_**It would seem that the Autobots and team RWBY are each down a warrior for the time being. As Slicktrack contemplates Ruby's request, the Vector Sailor receives a message from the Autobot Drift regarding a sensitive operation.**_

** The Ground Bridge portal opens and both Slicktrack and Ruby enter. After their heart-to-spark chat, the Autobot received a message from Hound saying that they've been contacted by Drift, another survivor of the crash.**

** "Alright I'm here, what's the situation?" Slicktrack asked Hound.**

** "I think we should let the bot of the hour explain," Hound responded as he pointed to the overhead screen. A picture of Drift's head was displayed, meaning he's still on the comm channel.**

_**"Hello Slicktrack, it's been a couple solar cycles sense our last sparring session,"**_** Drift said gaining a smirk from the smaller Autobot. Ever since joining the crew of the **_**Vector Sailor**_**, Drift has been helping many of its crew hone their hand-to-hand combat skills. Slicktrack enjoyed each session, even if he never once won, he learned a lot.**

** "I know, last time we fought I was **_**this**_** close to finally beating you," Slicktrack said inching his index and thumb close to one another.**

_**"Ha, keep telling yourself that little genin, but now we must focus our attention on serious matters. I'm not sure where I landed, but in the process of surveying my surroundings, I discovered an Energon mine occupied by the Decepticons, and learned that the Fallen is scheduled to make a stop."**_

** Hound pounds his fist and mutters, "Starscream, finally some payback."**

_**"Yes, but do not let revenge cloud your sound judgment Hound, for if you allow rage to blind your optics, you will not see the path to defeat your enemy. Your enemy will end up defeating you."**_

** "You don't get it Drift, Starscream executed Chromesmasher before our very optics and had Thundercracker and Skywarp destroy the body," Slicktrack said. "We can't just let him get away with that."**

_**"Starscream will face judgment for his crimes, if not by the hand of justice, then by the edge of the sword."**_

** "Okay, Mirage, you and I will help Drift secure some Energon. We're going to need as much as possible for Medi to keep Red Alert stable. And whatever's left will be processed for our own needs."**

** "I don't know, my cloaker is still low on power since the last mission, perhaps Hound should go instead," Mirage said.**

** "Negative, you have more experience on stealth operations, cloaker or no cloaker. And besides, I can't risk Hound's feelings get in the way on this sensitive mission."**

** "Who died and made you the boss bot?" Hound asked.**

** "Look, until Red Alert is back on his feet, **_**someone **_**has to call the shots. So are you going to open the Ground Bridge or not?"**

** "Alright, alright, but you got to promise me I get a piece of the action next time."**

** "I'll see what I can do."**

** "Can I come?" Ruby asked.**

** "Negative Rubs, your place is with your team and your sister. And besides, your planet's weapons can't kill Decepticons."**

** "But what about the Con I blinded when we met?"**

** "The optics are a sensitive and unprotected area. I doubt a seasoned opponent would let you get your shots in while in cover." Slicktrack looks up and comes up with an idea. "But maybe I can help you, when I get back that is." Slicktrack nods to Hound and he powers up the Ground Bridge. He and Mirage walk into the swirling vortex and disappear from sight.**

_**The Kingdom of Vacuo**_

** Slicktrack and Mirage step out of the Ground Bridge and slowly walk up to Drift's backside, his attention at the entrance to the mine as he peered from behind a tree. "Greetings my friends," Drift said without turning around.**

** "How did you know we weren't Decepticons?" Mirage asked.**

** "I can sense you did not wish me harm, therefore you were friend, not foe."**

** "Okay…so, what kind of security are we dealing with?" Slicktrack asked getting everybody back on track.**

** Drift motions past the tree line and into a clearing. On the side of the mountain was an opening leading into the Energon mine with two Vehicon soldiers standing guard. "The mine entrance is guarded by two Decepticons at all times. The workers stay in the mine all day until approximately nine p.m. when the **_**Fallen**_** arrives to pick up an Energon shipment. Right about now, the workers would be loading up crates of raw Energon to be processed on the ship."**

** "And since its eight-thirty right now, we won't have a lot of time."**

** "Agreed, that's why I've got a plan."**

** A few minutes later, the Decepticon guards who were looking for signs of trouble caught sight of something strange; an Autobot walking right up to them. The two Cons change their right arms into blasters and point them at the intruder. "Freeze Autobot, hands where we can see them," one of them ordered.**

** Slicktrack stops and raises his hands. "Oh, you mean like this?" he asked sarcastically. "Hey, want to hear a joke I learned from my pals in the Wreckers? What's the one thing Decepticons never do?"**

** The two Cons look at each other and were about to take a step when Drift jumped down in front of them, drew his swords, twisted them around and buried his blades into their spark chambers without turning around or looking. Drift removes the blades and the lifeless bots drop. "They never look up," Drift said, finishing the joke. Drift had walked around to the side of the mountain and climbed across until he was right over the Con's heads minutes before.**

** Mirage runs over and drags the bodies into the forest and out of sight. "I still think that joke is a little dark for my taste," he muttered returning to his comrades.**

** "Everybody's a critic," Slicktrack replied as the Autobots run into the mine with extreme caution. They past caverns full of miner class Decepticons operating drills and Vehicon soldiers stationed to guard their progress. All Energon fragments are loaded into crates and put in a larger, empty cavern to be stored until transport is possible. The Autobots evaded sight and made it to the storage area.**

** "We should not be greedy, at least one of these crates as more than enough Energon to keep Red Alert stabilized," Drift said, analyzing the situation.**

** "Yeah, but we should take one more for spare ammo and the Ground Bridge," Mirage suggested.**

** "Very well," Slicktrack started, "Mirage, you and I will push the crates while Drift protects us. If we get spotted, at least Drift's swords won't make as much noise as our blasters."**

** "Sounds like a plan, let's rollout," Drift said with his hands on his sword handles. The swordsbot walked in front of the small convoy, looking out for Decepticons. They make it to an opening to the main mining area when they stopped after hearing a familiar, annoying voice.**

** "Is the Energon ready for pick-up?" the Autobots heard Starscream ask the mine director.**

** "Yes Lord Starscream, it's waiting pick-up as per your instructions sir," the Decepticon said.**

** "Excellent, at least I can count on **_**some**_** bots to get their jobs done." Starscream said that while looking at Thundercracker and Skywarp with an angered look. The two look alike Seekers looked ashamed and tried to avert from their leader's gaze. Just then a Seeker soldier came running in and saluted Starscream when he stood at attention.**

** "Lord Starscream, we have a situation," he said.**

** "What is it now?"**

** "The squad you sent to meet our human collaborators at the Vale City docks have come under attack by a lone Autobot identified as Crosshairs."**

** Starscream growled at the thought of yet **_**another**_** Autobot to deal with. "As much as I despise Torchwick, he's too much of an asset to lose right now. Radio the **_**Fallen**_** and tell Barricade to lead an additional squad to reinforce our men. And tell him to do whatever it takes to kill that Autobot"!**

** "Yes sir"! The soldier saluted and as he turned, caught sight of a pair of optics peering on the side of an opening. "My lord intruders"!**

** All Decepticons stop what they were doing and watched as three Autobots run past the opening, pushing two carts of Energon as they made their way to the exit.**

** "Stop them! They're getting away with **_**my**_** Energon"! Starscream yelled. Several Vehicons changed to alt form and sped after the intruders. Once they were a few feet from the Autobots, they changed back to robot form while still in motion and changed their arms to cannons to open fire.**

** Slicktrack and Mirage shifted their arms into weapons as well and turned to return fire. "Hound, prep a Ground Bridge at the arrival point and ready for my mark," Slicktrack said into his comm.**

_**"Copy that Slick, sounds like quite a party you boys crashed,"**_** Hound replied jokingly.**

** "Yeah, a real Bot-Con laser show, now just keep that hand on the lever Hound-Dog until I say so"! The Autobots make it outside and look up to see the **_**Fallen**_** hovering in the sky. They continue to evade enemy fire from the mine entrance and Seeker fire from above.**

** "Our enemies are all around us, we need to get to cover now"! Drift yelled out.**

** "We're almost there, just a few more strides," Mirage said with hope in his voice. Unfortunately, one stray shot punctured Mirage in the left thigh and he dropped screaming. "I'm hit"!**

** Slicktrack and Drift stop and turn back to pick up their comrade. Drift grabs Mirage and puts his arm around his neck, dragging him to cover as Slicktrack pushed both Energon carts. "Hound, open the Bridge"! Slicktrack yelled into the comm. "And tell Medi to prepare sickbay, we've got wounded incoming"! The green vortex opened in front of them and they moved cautiously while dodging enemy. They entered the Ground Bridge with their mission accomplished and Starscream yelling.**

** "You idiots, you let them escape"! Starscream yelled at his troops. He turns to Thundercracker and socks him in the jaw, watching him drop. "Skywarp, tell Barricade to destroy Crosshairs post haste or he'll have to deal with Autobot reinforcements"!**

** "Yes sir Lord Starscream," Skywarp grumbled as he called up Barricade.**

_**The Kingdom of Vale, onboard the Vector Sailor**_

** Slicktrack and Drift, while dragging Mirage, run back onto the ship with the Energon in tow. The swordsbot and Medi, the latter hearing of Mirage's injury and waited for them, both took the veteran cloaker to the infirmary to be patched up. Slicktrack rolled the Energon crates to the other side of the room and ran up to Hound. "Set the Ground Bridge to the Vale City docks, Crosshairs is in trouble"! He ordered.**

** "Crosshairs, what the hell is going on?" Hound asked.**

** "We overheard the Decepticons say they sent a squad to rendezvous with their human collaborators led by a man named Torchwick at the docks. They also said Crosshairs engaged them."**

** "Torchwick, what's he doing with the Decepticons?" Ruby asked as Drift re-entered the room.**

** "You know that human Rubs?"**

** "Yeah, he's one of the biggest crime bosses in the city. If you're going to take him on, take me with you"!**

** "No way, it's too dangerous"!**

** "But I've fought him before! I can handle him and his goons while you battle the Cons and rescue your friend"!**

** Slicktrack thinks about it but knew he didn't have much time. Each nanosecond wasted increases the chance of Crosshairs not making it back online. "Alright, Ruby, Hound, you're with me. Drift, you're on Bridge duty."**

** "Yes"! Ruby and Hound said at the same time, throwing their fists in the air.**

** "Slicktrack, are you sure you will not need my assistance?" Drift asked.**

** "Negative, you're a close range combatant and we're being bridged straight into enemy fire. Operate the Ground Bridge and we'll see you when we get back." Slicktrack and Hound enter their alt modes and Ruby jumps on her motorcycle companion.**

** "It's a good thing Theta-Sensei trained us all how to operate the Ground Bridge," Drift muttered as he powered up the machine. The two Autobots drive into the vortex with Ruby riding on Slicktrack with the hope of saving a friend. **_**May Primus watch over you my friends, and whatever Gods of this world watch over the girl,**_** Drift prayed to himself. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Narrator: **_**The Autobots have arrived at the Vale City docks to assist and rescue Crosshairs from enemy attack. Ruby Rose on the other hand, accompanied her metal friends to determine Roman Torchwick's role in the Autobot/Decepticon war.**_

** The very nanosecond the Autobots and Ruby exit the Ground Bridge, they take cover behind stacks of shipping containers from enemy fire. Ruby jumps off Slicktrack so he can transform and return fire while ducking behind cover. As the two wheeler fires at the Vehicon soldiers, he noticed that Crosshairs, a green and black Autobot holding up twin SMG'S, has sitting behind cover, leaking Energon from his right shoulder. Slicktrack looks out to the enemy's position and saw Barricade surrounded by Vehicon soldiers "Hound, Barricade got here first with reinforcements"! Slicktrack reported.**

** "Alright, that's just more Cons to scrap"! He yelled back in between blaster fire.**

** A shot impacted on Slicktrack's cover and he ducked his head to avoid enemy fire. "Negative, Crosshairs is leaking Energon! We need to move up and secure his position. And then we're burn'n rubber out of here"!**

** Ruby stuck her head out of cover and sees Roman Torchwick making a break for it to a warehouse behind the Decepticons. "Torchwick's getting away"! She yelled and ran after him.**

** "Ruby no"! Slicktrack changed to vehicle mode and swept Ruby off her feet and behind cover. When that happened, Hound fired a rocket from his shoulder launcher and it hit two Decepticons, blowing them off their feet. "What were you thinking running straight into enemy fire like that"!**

** "Sorry, but I'm super-fast and can dodge their attacks easy! And besides, we're closer to Crosshairs know than before yeah?"**

** Slicktrack looks out and sees they are several feet away from Crosshairs's position. "That may be so, but I want you to be **_**smart**_** about how you'll catch up to Torchwick." The Autobot looks over and out of cover and determines a more appropriate path for his partner to make. "Go around the fighting and we'll cover you. Call me the **_**nanosecond**_** you got Torchwick and I will rush to your aid, understood?"**

** "Sir yes sir"! Ruby gave a salute and took off around the corner and sprinting towards the warehouse, out of Decepticon sight.**

** Smiling, Slicktrack returned his focus to the battle and opened fire, taking down another Decepticon soldier. He got up and sprinted towards Crosshairs. "Hound move up"!**

** Firing his assault rifle in mid-sprint, Hound hollered as his Energon rounds sent the enemy behind their own cover and the two Autobots duck on each side of their comrade.**

** "Well it's about time you guys showed up," Crosshairs said, firing his weapons at the enemy's position without looking.**

** "Can it smartass, you're leaking Energon"! Slicktrack yelled.**

** "Meh, it's just mesh wound, I'm fine. Just patch me up and we can end these jokers here and now"!**

** "Sorry buddy, didn't have time to bring a medical kit, we were kind of busy helping out Drift," Hound said, and then shot out a few more bursts from his rifle.**

** "Drift? Thank the Allspark he made it; anyone else?"**

** Slicktrack ducked behind cover after completing a volley of his own. "Besides us and Drift, there's Mirage, Medi, and Red Alert. What about you, find anyone else?"**

** "I landed with a couple of the crew, but a squadron of Seekers bore down on our position. I was the only survivor."**

** "Con scum"! Hound yelled firing another missile.**

** "So after I shot those tin cans out of the sky, I acquired a local vehicle mode and I've been attempting to track down any sightings of Decepticons. This was the first one I found and I managed to botch it by getting shot."**

** "You always charge into battle without thinking, especially when separated from the unit," Slicktrack said.**

** "I know but I saw the Cons working with a local, I thought I could…"**

** "Say no more, we got Ruby looking into that. Just help us clear out the Decepticons and we can all get back to the ship."**

** "Sounds like a plan"! All three Autobots step out of cover and rain hell on the Decepticons. "Who's Ruby?"**

** Inside the warehouse, Torchwick was running with two of his goons on either side of him when Ruby launched herself with Crescent Rose and kicked one of the goons in the back of the head. She jumps back as the henchman goes down and slams the blunt side of her scythe into the second goon, sending him flying and knocked out. She alters her scythe into its ballistic mode and pointed it at Torchwick's head. "Alright ketchup head, what's the deal partnering with the giant death machines?" Ruby asked.**

** Roman, hands raised with his cane in hand just smirked at the young Huntress, declaring, "What can I say Red? It's either with them by their side or trampled under their feet. Besides, they've helped speed up operations, even if it costs me a few crates of Dust here and there."**

** "What are you talking about?"**

_**"Baby sister,"**_** Ruby turned at the sound of Yang's voice to see a boom box sitting on a crate as it grew and transformed into Ravage.**

** "Y-your Ravage…you hurt my sister"! Ruby, blinded by anger, redirects her weapon at the minicon, opening fire relentlessly. Ravage dodged the primitive blasts and tackled her back. Taking advantage of the commotion, Torchwick gave a salute and ran out the warehouse and into a Bullhead outside. Ravage fires an Energon laser from his mouth and Ruby takes cover, pulling out her Scroll.**

** Back outside, the Autobots have reduced the enemy forces down to just Barricade and three Vehicon soldiers, all deeply fortified behind cover. Slicktrack's comm channel sparks online and receives a message from Ruby. "Ruby, what's up, you got Torchwick?" he asked, but looked concerned when he heard laser fire in the background.**

_**"Slick, Torchwick's gone and I'm pinned down by the Con that hurt Yang"!**_** Ruby reported.**

** "Ravage?! Ruby hang on, I'm on my way"! The Autobot commander turns to his subordinates. "Ruby's pinned down by Ravage; I have to get to her"!**

** "Kind of hard considering we're in a stalemate with Barricade and his Cons," Crosshairs added.**

** "Then let's give them something to shoot at." Slicktrack looks at Hound and they both nod, coming to a mutual understanding. Slicktrack changes into vehicle mode and drives out of cover. The Decepticons take aim at an exposed enemy, but let themselves open to be shot at by Hound. Only Barricade didn't fall for such a ruse as he remained in cover while still shooting. The comm officer himself switched to alt form and followed his commander, but veered off and changed back to face Barricade.**

** "Commander, go get your gal pal, Barricade's mine," Hound said as the motorcycle speeds into the warehouse.**

** Barricade retracts his blaster and puts up his fists. "Been awhile since I went toe-to-toe with an Autobot on my own," the Con said.**

** "Oh, I thought you only fought Autobots when their backs are turned?" Hound grinned at Barricade's expense.**

** Enraged, the Decepticon charged fists raised to strike.**

** Inside the warehouse, Ravage continued to fire and prepped his hip missiles to fire upon the young Huntress, planning to inflict the same devastation to her as Ruby's sister and comrade. Two missiles launch, but Slicktrack rolled forward in vehicle mode, transforming in the process, and shot the ordinance while still in mid-flight.**

** "Unless you want to get skinned Ravage, then I suggest you stop firing at my friend," Slicktrack demanded, pointing his arm cannons at the minicon.**

** Ravage turned his head and opened his mouth. He did not fire, but spoke in Blake's tone, **_**"Boyfriend."**_** The stunned Autobot and human were distracted long enough for Ravage to sprint outside.**

** While the altercation inside the warehouse had been going on, Barricade and Hound fought just outside the building. When Barricade charged, Hound raised his rifle to fire, but the Decepticon was too quick and knocked it out of his hands. Barricade went for a blow to the face, but Hound parried it and followed up with an uppercut to his enemy's gut. Shaken but not down, Barricade dropped and swept Hound's legs, and then kicked him back. When the Autobot stopped skidding across the pavement, he looked up to see Ravage exit the warehouse.**

** Barricade looks down at his charge, and relents to the minicon's request. "Very well," he said as he activated communications with the **_**Fallen**_**. "Barricade here requesting evac." A Ground Bridge opens behind him and the two Decepticons run in, retreating from sight.**

** Slicktrack and Ruby walk out of the warehouse to see Hound back on his feet. "You alright pal?" Slicktrack asked.**

** "Got my tailpipe kicked by a Con, do I **_**look**_** alright?" he responded.**

** "Sorry, but let's not forget why we came here."**

** "Yeah, let's get motor mouth back to the ship to get patched up."**

_**The **_**Fallen**

** "What is the meaning of this Barricade?"! Barricade stood before an enraged Starscream, who is referring to Ravage's presence. The other officers were present as they watched their comrade being ringed out by the captain.**

** "Orders from Lord Megatron Starscream," Barricade answered, "Ravage was needed for reconnaissance for an important mission."**

** "So you had that vermin stowed away on **_**my**_** ship without my knowledge and permission?"!**

** "Like I said, order came down from Megatron himself."**

** "And what **_**is**_** Ravage's mission?"!**

** "Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you without Megatron's say so." Barricade grinned as he saw Starscream start to blow a gasket. "So if you want to know so badly, take it up with Lord Megatron, **_**sir**_**." Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Luxury cringed at the sound of Barricade putting emphasis on the final word.**

** "Here it comes," Thundercracker whispered to his twin. Starscream raised his hand, but froze when the screen behind him opened up.**

** "Starscream, stand down"! Hearing Megatron's command, Starscream reluctantly lowered his arm and turned to the image of the Decepticon leader.**

** "Lord Megatron? But how…" Starscream quickly glanced at Ravage and back at the screen. "The minicon contacted you didn't he?"**

** "Ravage was retrofitted with a lot of equipment, a long range communications array was among them. So when Soundwave's little friend informed me that his cover was blown, I thought it best to call you myself."**

** "Yes master, we must discuss why you sent an additional Decepticon without my foreknowledge."**

** "Just as soon as you divulge why you did not tell me why several Autobots still function and why you did not inform me." Starscream was struck dumb, unable to give a proper excuse. "That's what I thought. However, it is time I reveal the **_**true**_** nature of your mission on Remnant." The screen splits in half and Shockwave, his red, cycloptic eye staring forward, stood by to speak.**

** "My lord, why is Shockwave on this comm channel?"**

** "Shockwave and I were in the midst of his weekly report when Ravage called. Since his current project is related to Remnant, I thought it best he shares his report after I finish with my own. You see Starscream, millions of years ago, an Autobot ship called the **_**Sky Titan**_** crash landed on Remnant while evading Decepticon attack. It was under the command of an old Cybertronian, who was said to have a connection with his ship. Based on reports from both Cybertron and Decepticon intelligence, I have reason to believe that the **_**Sky Titan**_** may actually be a functional Metrotitan in an alternate vehicle form." Starscream and the others were shocked, but also had horrible memories of an encounter with one of those behemoths. "As you all know, during the last solar cycles before the Exodus, Optimus Prime utilized a Metrotitan to defend his precious Ark. I was impressed with the amount of chaos it created, despite its use against our troops. I knew that if the Decepticons had a Metrotitan on our side, we could turn the tide of the war and crush the Autobots. Starscream, continue with the tasks already assigned to you and allow Ravage to conduct his search. Once he has a fix on the location of my war machine, securing it will be your priority until my arrival."**

** Starscream looked upset when he heard that Megatron will make an appearance once his precious Metrotitan has been found. But in his mind, a glorious plan started to form. "Of course Lord Megatron, but we now have a new problem." Megatron looked irritated at his first lieutenant's complaining. "The Autobots now have a human ally, one trained at this 'Beacon' I wrote about in one of my reports."**

** "Ah yes, these so called 'Beast Hunters', you should not worry about them Starscream, for Shockwave may have a solution to your problem."**

** Shockwave straightened himself out and began his own report. "For the last three Meta-cycles since your arrival on Remnant Starscream, you have been supplying me with specimens from the Grimm species for my research. Results have yielded that they are not carbon based life forms like the indigenous populations, but comprised of some form of dark matter. This explains the rapid degradation upon their expiration, the matter becoming one with the very planet. For the particulars of my research, the specimens were required to remain alive during the procedure."**

** "What kind of procedure?" Starscream asked.**

** Shockwave tapped a few keys on his computer and an image of a Beowolf appeared on the screen. "This is known as a Beowolf, a common form of Grimm and the easiest to be dispatched amongst the most inexperienced Hunter. These creatures are capable of tracking a living being harboring a soul, a construct that defies all logic. They prefer to travel in packs, for there is strength in numbers."**

** "Shockwave, I know your research is your greatest achievement, but just get to the point," Megatron ordered.**

** Shockwave types on more keys and the image of the Beowolf is replaced with a new one. This Beowolf, however, showed patches of metal all over the fur coat, the bone armor replaced with recycled Cybertronian armor plating, and its red eyes replaced with red optics. "I present to you the first sub class of the new C. in the Decepticon war machine. The Cyber Organic Grimm retains all functions prior to their augmentations, capable of sniffing and tracking the souls of its victims. But know, thanks its newly acquired cerebral systems, it can detect the sparks of Cybertronian life and differentiate between Autobots and Decepticons thanks to the Friend or Foe Identification system. The IFF recognizes Decepticons as allies and Autobots as the bitterest of quarries. Each wrist contains a simple Energon blaster, supplying this Grimm with an advantage in long range attacks, since it once solely relied on close quarters combat. The C. only requires Energon for their blasters and not for fuel and lifeblood, making them less of a hindrance on our Energon supply than our own soldiers. In conclusion, the C.O.G soldiers are a fuel effective and renewable source of shock troopers that can distract the Hunter and Autobot forces long enough to complete our primary objective."**

** "Excellent Shockwave, when will the first batch of our new soldiers be ready for deployment?" Megatron asked.**

** "The first wave of C.O.G units will be ready in five solar cycles, and then deployed to Remnant. The students of Beacon Academy should be honored to be the first to take part in the beta test of the C.O.G, of their destroyers."**


	10. Chapter 10

**Narrator: **_**It has been approximately five days since Crosshairs return to the **_**Vector Sailor**_**. In that time, Yang has made a remarkable recovery in the Academy's medical wing, and all Autobots are fully functional. Ruby is not only delighted for her sister's speedy recovery, but also for the upgrades to Crescent Rose.**_

_**Flashback: Third day after Crosshairs return**_

** Ruby swung Crescent Rose in its scythe mode again to admire the gleam of its new Cybertronian steel blade. After the last mission, Slicktrack and Red Alert talked quite a while and debated on Ruby's continued role as a member of their team. The weapons tech on this world is only capable of harming Decepticons, not killing them. And after reviewing the crew manifest, Crosshairs was the last unaccounted for crew member, everyone else either died in planet entry, during the crash, or hunted down upon landing in their pods. With seven Autobots versus a small army of Decepticons, Red Alerted reluctantly agreed to upgrade Ruby's weapon, only because she's would be endangered if separated from Slicktrack.**

** For the last three days, Ruby worked closely with Crosshairs in the armory, fashioning spare Cybertronian steel into her weapon and filling her 50 caliber dust rounds with Energon. Thankfully, because Ruby's bullets require microscopic doses of Energon, her use of the energy source does not serve as a hindrance to the Autobots.**

** "Thank you, thank you, and thank you"! Ruby kept saying to both Crosshairs and Slicktrack.**

** "No problem kid," Crosshairs replied, "Tracker here showed me file footage of you hacking those Grimm things apart. I figured you could do the same to Cons."**

** "Oh I am so ready, let's do it right now"!**

** "Ruby," Slicktrack began, "I know you're excited and all, but the last thing a leader should do is **_**look**_** for trouble. Don't get me wrong, I like fighting Cons, but a true leader should never put his or her comrades in danger needlessly. You know my past Rubs; you should know how hard I learned that lesson."**

** 'Oh, yeah, I understand." Ruby looked down, disappointed.**

** "Look, just promise me you'll use your new weapon responsibly, okay."**

** Ruby nods and her robot partner shifts to vehicle mode, she jumps on, and they take the long way to Beacon.**

_**Present Day: the Emerald Forest**_

** "Are you sure it's this way?" Ren asked with Nora right on his heels.**

** "I'm sure Jaune knows exactly what he's doing," Pyrrha responded, stopping with Jaune as he looks at his Scroll.**

** "Yeah, thanks to the map Prof. Ozpin downloaded into my Scroll, this mission will be a piece of cake," the leader of team JNPR declared.**

** "Oh, there's cake"! The hyperactive, hammer wielding Nora yelled. "I hope it's chocolate with vanilla frosting and has a picture of me smashing a Beowolf into paste"!**

** Earlier this morning, team JNPR was excused from classes in order to embark on what they believe to be a simple exploration mission. From what they learned from the headmaster, a series of unexplainable light anomalies have been caught on last night's camera feed, and minutes later, dead Grimm were found with cauterized holes in their cadavers. Team JNPR's mission is to find the origin of the anomalies and the ones who killed the Grimm using unknown weapons tech. The moment they find anything, they are to either engage or capture, regardless of the third party's intentions.**

** Jaune looked at his Scroll and pointed to a clearing up ahead. "There's the sight of the first anomaly, let's take a look." The four teammates look around and found several burned holes in the ground and trees. Pyrrha rubbed her hand on one of them.**

** "This doesn't look like the result of any fire based dust attacks that I've ever seen," she observed. "The impact is so clean and didn't burn the rest of the tree up."**

** "We would have probably found the same thing on the Grimm, if their bodies didn't degrade so fast," Ren added.**

** "Look what I found"! The others turned to see a cheery Nora jump up. "A four leaf clover"! All three of her friends fell down anime style while Nora just kept smiling at her good luck. Suddenly, the team heard rustling and running in the tree line. Withdrawing their weapons, they were ready for whatever the forest had thrown at them, or so they thought. Emerging from the trees were six Beowolves, all with patches of metal across their bodies and a strange purple logo on their foreheads.**

** "Since when did Beowolves look so shiny?" Jaune asked aloud.**

** "Who cares, let's blow 'em up"! Nora yelled as she switched Magnhild into its grenade launcher and fired a large round. It slammed into one of the Beowolves chests and it staggered back, but **_**not**_** blown up! "Huh, that's never happened before." Continuing her assault, Ren and Pyrrha used their weapon's ballistic modes to provide additional fire power while Jaune charge the Beowolf on the far right. As the bullets only pinged off the metal wolves, Jaune tried to swipe his sword to hack off the wolf's head. Surprisingly, the wolf blocked it with its right arm, a maneuver a real Beowolf is incapable of. The monster threw off the blocked weapon and swiped Jaune with its right claw. While Jaune was able to block it with his shield, he was thrown back violently to his teammates.**

** "Jaune, are you alright?"! Pyrrha asked very worriedly as she helped him up.**

** "Yeah," he shrugged, "It's just Prof. Port never covered intelligent, metal Grimm in his classes."**

** JNPR returned their attention to the six enemies still standing before them. The Grimm raised their arms and Energon blasters popped up from their wrists, powering up.**

** "I don't think Prof. Port covered **_**that**_** either," Ren added without raising his voice.**

** Several yards away in vehicle mode, Slicktrack was in the middle of one of his patrols when he heard blaster fire. "Cons, in the forest?" he said to himself. "Could be Ravage again, better investigate." Slicktrack rides toward the sound of automated fire, but stops when he saw two things; Ruby's friends from team JNPR and a pack of Beowolves packing Cybertronian armor and weapons on their person. **_**What in the name of Primus is this?**_** He asked himself. **_**Those Grimm have Cybertronian technology infused into their bodies! I have to take them out, but I can't let JNPR see me. Red Alert hasn't given Ruby the all clear to reveal ourselves to her **_**own**_** team, let alone another. Better handle this right**_**. Powering up his holo human, he sped right in between the Grimm and JNPR, the latter taking cover behind the trees. Revving his engine, he goaded the Grimm to follow him as he sped off, which they obliged. Slicktrack caught sight of the Decepticon insignia on their foreheads on his rearview mirror. **_**Decepticon engineering! I should have known! Better end this now before anyone else gets hurt!**_** Seeing he was out of sight from the humans and any of the school's security cameras, Slicktrack transformed and opened fire. He took out two of them before the others broke into cover. The four remaining Beowolves returned fire as Slicktrack went for cover himself. Protruding blades from his forearms, he flanked right and ran up to the enemy line. He chopped off the head of the nearest enemy, rolled past its dropping body to evade its partner's blaster fire, and cleaved its head off as well. Shifting his arm into a blaster, he shot the last two wolves in the chest.**

** Slicktrack walked up to one of them and picked it up. He then turned his comm on and contacted the ship. "Red Alert, we got a situation."**

** Back at Beacon, Ruby and her team were enjoying the free period they have on the front lawn when they saw their friends from team JNPR running towards them.**

** "Whoa Jaune, where's the fire?" Ruby asked.**

** "Ruby, you will **_**not**_** believe what just happened to us"! Jaune said loudly.**

** Suddenly an Energon blast zooms past his head and everyone turned to see several metal Beowolves with Energon blaster aimed at them.**

** "In short; that," Ren said.**

** Back on the **_**Vector Sailor**_**, the Autobots gathered around the medical wing as Medi examined the Beowolf specimen. "Yeah, this is **_**definitely**_** Shockwave's handiwork," Medi declared. "That Con might be one of the smartest Cybertron has to offer, but he seriously has one messed up central processor"!**

** "Medi, what **_**exactly **_**are we looking at?" Red Alert asked.**

** "It is a Beowolf augmented with Cybertronian metal plating and Energon weapons in their arms. They now possess a cerebral interface to accurately pin point their targets, either they be organic or Cybertronian."**

** "Based on how hard they tried to frag me, I say Autobots serve as higher priority targets," Slicktrack said.**

** Medi nods. "Correct, there is a Friend or Foe Identification program in their neural network to differentiate between 'Bots and Cons." She raises an eye, intrigued at a discovery. "It would appear the C. , as the interface calls them; have a **_**shared**_** neural network, meaning they can monitor each other's vital stats as well as their whereabouts." Medi removes the chip for the neural network and puts it into her computer. "Slicktrack trashed six of these things in the Emerald Forest, we should determine if there are any more out there that might cause us trouble."**

** A map of Beacon Academy and it's nearby Grimm infested forested training grounds appeared. Several blips popped up on the grounds of Beacon.**

** "That's Beacon"! Slicktrack yelled.**

** "Hang on," Medi typed on the computer and soon a POV video appeared. "I hacked into their network so that we can observe what any one of those things sees through their optics." The video showed students taking cover from blaster fire with some returning fire in vain.**

** "This is not good," Drift muttered. "Their crude weapons will have no effect on Cybertronian metal. The Decepticons would slaughter these children for what, science?"**

** "Don't give up hope just yet," Crosshairs said raising a hand, "There's still **_**one**_** feisty fleshy we know who can scrap these dogs"! Crosshairs and Slicktrack fist bumped as they returned their attention to the screen.**

** At Beacon, Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose in its sniper mode and fired. While everyone else's efforts were futile, Ruby's Energon rounds pierced the Beowolves armor. Getting out of cover, Ruby dashed forward while changing her weapon into scythe mode and hacking apart the metal monstrosities. Ruby dodged the blaster fire and cleaved off the heads of the three remaining monsters in one swing.**

** Yang was the first to emerge, mouth agape. "Ruby, that was…" she began.**

** "…Something?" Blake suggested.**

** "Amazing?" Weiss contributed.**

** "A complete ass kicking?"! Nora yelled arms thrust in the air.**

** "Uh, unbelievable is more like it," Yang finally answered. The blonde brawler walks up to her sister and asks, "Ruby, how come you could destroy those things while the rest of us couldn't?"**

** "And what kind of Dust were you using?" Weiss asked. "I never saw that type with that unique color and glow."**

** "Ruby, if you're keeping something from us, you know you can trust us, right?" Blake added.**

** On the **_**Vector Sailor**_**, Medi gasped as she saw an incoming signal appear. "A long range communication originating from deep space is contacting one of the C. at Beacon."**

** "Why would it do that?" Mirage asked.**

** "It would appear that I was not the only one observing the battle at the Academy, which means…" the Autobots turn to the head of their captured specimen to see its optics staring straight at them. Hound runs up and smashes the head to pieces.**

** "Hound I needed that"! Medi yelled.**

** "What, I'm supposed to apologize from preventing the Cons from tracking our position?" Hound argued.**

** "Worry about that later, let's see who's trying to contact our human friend," Red Alert said.**

** "As if we already **_**don't**_** know," Slicktrack muttered.**

** At the grounds of Beacon, Ruby saw everyone's face turn pale at something behind her. Ruby turns around to see one of the Beowolves heads on its side, looking up as a holographic image boots up from its optics. Shockwave appears, looking at the small flesh things, confused and shocked.**

_**"Quite the interesting results from the first of my Cyber Organic Grimm beta tests,"**_** the Con scientist stated. Shockwave moved his eye and focused solely on Ruby. **_**"Based on your weapon, it would appear you are the one who has allied with the hated Autobots."**_

** "Ruby, what's the giant robot hologram talking about?" Weiss asked.**

_**"For aiding and abetting the enemy of the Decepticons, you are all ordered to be executed and decimated by the swift might of the Decepticon war machine. All hail Lord Megatron"!**_** Suddenly, a Decepticon drop ship swoops down from the sky and five Leapers drop down, creating large impact craters beneath their feet. Decepticon Leapers are large, heavily armored brutish warriors with thrusters on their backs and elbows. The thrusters are used to propel the normally slow Cons fast enough to crush their enemy's into a scrap pile.**

** "Waste 'em all"! The one in the middle declared.**

** Before the Decepticons charged, a Ground Bridge appeared and five cars drove out, putting themselves between the Hunters and Decepticons. From left to right, Mirage, Drift, Red Alert, Slicktrack, and Crosshairs transformed and armed themselves.**

** "Ruby, we'll take it from here"! Slicktrack yelled. "Keep your friends and comrades safe"!**

** "R-Ruby, th-that g-g-giant robot is t-talking to you," Weiss stuttered, scared out of her mind.**

** "Whoo, giant robot death fight"! Nora screamed giddily.**

** "Autobots"! Red Alert yelled, preparing to give his orders. "Protect the children at all costs! Hold this line against the Decepticons"!**

**Authors Note: I just wanted to say that I'm going to be incorporating a lot of different aspects from the Transformers lore. You'll be seeing things and ideas based on the High Moon Studios games (minus Rise of the Dark Spark), Transformers Prime, and even the movies (only the actual good stuff, if any). If there's anything you would like to see, just give a holler via a review or PM. See ya next time! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Narrator: **_**With the Decepticons targeting Beacon Academy, the Autobots had no choice but to compromise their existence in order to protect them. Now all the students and faculty shall bear witness to the horrors of a war that has lasted millennia.**_

"_**Wreckers don't call for Back-up; they call for Clean-up"!**_

**-Wheeljack and Bulkhead from **_**Transformers Prime**_

** Ruby knew a standoff when she saw one. Five Autobots versus five Decepticon Leapers, it seemed evenly matched, but she wasn't sure how here autonomous friends hoped to fight these heavily armored enemies. The middle Leaper jumped up using his thrusters and propelled himself at an angel to try and hit Red Alert. Mirage and Drift dodged right while Slicktrack and Mirage went left as Red Alert jumped back to evade the attack. The Hunters moved back as well to avoid this battle at all costs. "Autobots, aim for the thrusters on their backs"! Red Alert ordered.**

** Crosshairs pulled out his SMGs and laid down covering fire against his target while running in a wide arc. The Energon rounds pinged off the Leaper's armor and he charged. Smirking, Crosshairs pulled out a grenade, popped the pin, vaulted over the Leaper's head while throwing the grenade into one of its engines, and transformed in his mid-roll landing to evade the blast radius.**

** "W-what, how did you…" the Leaper said before exploding into several dozen pieces.**

** "Your one with the Allspark now dirtbag," Crosshairs said.**

** Mirage fired at his Leaper, but his shots either missed or were deflected. When the Leaper charge, Mirage got hit and pinned against one of the stone pillars of the Academy's aqueducts. The Con raised his free arm and prepared to launch it at the Autobot's head.**

** "Gonna squish you Autobug," the Con said.**

** Mirage looked worried, but smiled as he disappeared into thin air.**

** "What? Where'd you go?" The Leaper stupidly removed the arm he used to pin Mirage and looked around to pinpoint his target. Suddenly, a shot was fired and the Con's engines were overloading, ready to blow. "That ain't fair"!**

** After the enemy blew up, Mirage reappeared right behind his destroyed body and said, "War isn't fair, but we fight it anyway."**

** Drift, unlike his other comrades, did not have blasters in his arms to shoot at the enemy. He chose to walk a different path as he tried circling around his opponents with his swords in hand. But the Leaper kept his front facing the Autobot, never taking his optics off the swordsbot. "What do you think those toothpicks are going to do to me?" the Decepticon goaded.**

** Drift's optics were completely focused as he observed his enemy. He then jumped up, spun around, and landed right on top of the Con. He swung his swords down, cleaving his arms off right where the joints connected. As the arms fell, Drift knelt down, swung his right blade to behead his opponent, and jumped off as the Leaper fell, defeated. Drift sheathed his weapons and said, "Never underestimate your opponent, especially one with 'toothpicks'."**

** When Slicktrack went wide, he transformed and drove past his Leaper. "Where do ya think you're going Autobot?" the Con teased. The Leaper charged after Slicktrack, attempting to crush the Bot under foot. When Slicktrack was far enough away, he turned right back around and jumped up, his rear tire slamming into the Con's head. As the Leaper staggered, Slicktrack transformed upside down and shot the enemy's thrusters, transforming back to vehicle mode before hitting the ground and sped off to regroup with the others.**

** "It was a blast Con," he joked.**

** Red Alert, on the other hand, found himself in a losing hand-to-hand battle against his Leaper. The Con punched the Autobot commander in the chest and he went flying back against the wall. "You're weak Autobot, time to get scrapped"! The Con punched and Red Alert blocked it with his left arm. Shifting his right hand into a blaster, he fired at the Con's eyes, blinding him long enough to roll and grab him by the back. Red Alert threw him away from the building and landed face first into the ground. As the Decepticon tried to rise, Red Alert ran up and slammed his foot on its backside, pinning him down. The Autobot fired at the engine and jumped back, observing the fireworks.**

** "I don't like shooting an enemy in the back, but in your case, I made an acceptation," he said. "Autobots regroup." His four subordinates ran up to him, the Cons destroyed and the day won. They all turned their heads to the sound of several dozen applauding students. They stopped when Profs. Ozpin and Goodwitch came walking out.**

** "Thank you for defending our school, but **_**what**_** exactly are you?" Ozpin asked. Slicktrack noticed in his tone and facial expression that he may have been lying.**

** Ruby walked up to the two-wheeler and places her hand on his leg. "Not **_**what**_** Professor, but **_**who**_**," she said.**

** "Ruby, you know wha-who these things are," Blake said correcting herself.**

** "I think there is someone who can answer all your questions," Red Alert said as he activated his comm. "Hound, is it ready?"**

_**"Long range communications are back online sir, want me to bring it to you?"**_** Hound asked.**

** "Yes, Bridge to our location, it's time for the truth." Before Bridging to the Academy to engage the Decepticons, Hound had declared that he nearly completed repairs to the long range communications array and that he can hook it up to the C.O.G's neural network.**

** A couple minutes later, a Ground Bridge appeared and Hound walked out with a chip in hand. He took the undamaged head of a C.O.G trooper and placed the chip in the back of its head. Hound placed it down and the holographic interface started too static. "Connection with the **_**Ark**_** shall be established in a few astroseconds."**

** "Students and teachers of Beacon, allow me to introduce our leader." The hologram cleared up to reveal a large red and blue Autobot, an air of authority radiating from him despite being light years away.**

_**"I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots,"**_** he declared.**

** Ozpin walks up to the hologram unfazed and bowed his head. "Prof. Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy," he said. "Allow me to thank you and your soldiers for protecting my school and its young warriors. But could you elaborate **_**why**_** your people are here in the first place?"**

_**"Our story is a tragic one. We come from a world millions of light years from your own, called Cybertron. For millennia, our kind has been fighting a civil war between us, the Autobots, and the Decepticons."**_** Optimus disappeared and images of skirmishes across Iacon City were displayed. The students and faculty were horrified at the amount of destruction, despite the fact that they were robots. Optimus's voice continue to boom as the images played out. **_**"Our tragic war has devastated Cybertron, pitting us against those we once considered our brothers."**_** The battles disappear and a picture of Megatron appeared. **_**"This is Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. His sole desire is to conquer or destroy anyone or anything that stands in his way."**_

** "How come you fight your battles on other worlds instead of your own?" Weiss asked, speaking up. "Can't you see that despite your good intentions that you're only causing more destruction?"**

** "Weiss"! Ruby yelled defiantly.**

_**"It is alright my little friend,"**_** Optimus said reappearing, **_**"She has every right to voice her concern for your world. You see, we Cybertronians rely on an energy source called Energon to survive. It serves as our ammunition, fuel, but most importantly, our very lifeblood. Our planet's core once produced limitless amounts of the substance, until it was poisoned by the Decepticons. During the great Exodus when we left our home, we discovered other worlds rich with Energon. Unfortunately, the Decepticons followed us, and in the process, spread our war to other worlds. I am deeply sorry that the War for Cybertron has come to your shores. Your forgiveness, though I do not deserve it, is all I ask."**_

** "Optimus," Ruby began as the Autobot leader turned his head. "You don't have to apologize; all you have to know is that we'll fight the Decepticons with you. This is our world and they are not welcome here"!**

_**"What is your name?"**_

__**"Ruby Rose, sir."**

_**"Thank you Ruby, you are a noble and brave human. I can tell you are destined for great things."**_** Ruby blushed as Slicktrack approached his leader.**

** "Optimus sir, the situation is more complicated here than we thought," the two-wheeler stated. "I have reason to believe the Cons are after more than Energon, and now they've altered some of this world's most dangers monsters to fight for them."**

_**"Hound has sent me a report before patching me through to you all, and I am aware of the situation. I'm also aware that you've given Ms. Rose here access to our weapon's tech."**_

** "My apologies sir, but she needed to defend herself against the Cons. Plus, Ruby and her comrades are already being trained to hunt these Grimm creatures. And now with the monsters' Cybertronian upgrades, it was fortunate she did have her upgraded weapon to fend off the C.O.G soldiers and save her fellow students. Punish me for breaking protocol sir, but I know in my Spark I did the right thing."**

_**"And you did."**_** Everyone looked shocked at Optimus's declaration. **_**"Your unexpected foresight and protective nature for your friend had helped saved countless lives. The report I've been reading also tells me of your command of the team while Red Alert recuperated. You have learned quite a lot from Theta Centari."**_

** "Yes sir, and now we have to defend these Hunters from the Decepticons, no matter the cost."**

_**"Agreed, I'll see what we can do on our end to deal with the C.O.G situation. If they are being crafted back on Cybertron, then a team must be sent to investigate Shockwave's efforts. Autobots, hold the line on Remnant for as long as you can, reinforcements will arrive as soon as possible."**_

__**"Yes sir, you can count on us," Red Alert said, everyone in his team saluting.**

_**"Good luck to you all, until we meet again."**_** The hologram powers down and the Autobots look at their human and Faunus friends.**

** "So…what happens now?" Yang asked.**

** "I have an idea," Ozpin said, a plan coming to his mind, "Seeing as Ruby and, Slicktrack was it, formed a bond, I think each Autobot should pair with a Hunter to better fend off our new adversaries."**

** "Agreed, but we don't have enough bodies to fill your large quota professor," Red Alert said. "And Hound here needs to complete repairs to our ship. But as for the rest of you," he looked at Mirage, Drift, and Crosshairs, "Pick a member from team RWBY and partner up."**

** "What like our own little 'Lighting Strike Coalition Force'?" Crosshairs asked as the other Autobots looked at him funny as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's not like Grimlock and his guys are using the name anymore."**

** Mirage looked at Weiss and smiled. "Graceful and an air of nobility, mind if we pal around?"**

** Weiss looked back and shrugged her own shoulders. "Sure, why not."**

** Drift and Blake caught each of their gazes as they eyed their weapons. "I see you like to use swords; maybe you can teach me a few pointers?"**

** Drift dropped down on one knee and bowed his head. "It would be an honor to serve with you my new friend." Blake blushed from the unexpected praise.**

** "I saw you blow that Con away, you're my kind of bot," Yang said to Crosshairs.**

** "You and I are going to get along just fine," Crosshairs said.**

** "Well this has turned into something has it not?" Ruby asked Slicktrack.**

** "Yeah, but I'm afraid this is only the beginning of something bigger," the Autobot responded looking to the sky.**

** Meanwhile in the city, Penny walked into an old abandoned factory and sat down on the ground in front of an old, strange looking vehicle. "I'm back my old friend," she said.**

** The headlights sparked to life and an old, tired sounding voice sparked to life, "Who, what? Oh, it's you little protoform, back for another one of my war stories?"**

** "Yes, you have the most interesting tales. Tell me one when you were on Cybertron, please?" Her eyes pleaded with glee.**

** "Oh I could never refuse you. I remember the time when my unit and I infiltrated Darkmount…"**

_**The **_**Ark**_**, light years away**_

__**Optimus stood on the bridge of his ship when the doors behind him opened. Ultra Magnus walked in and saluted his superior officer.**

** "You wish to see me Optimus Prime?" the soldier asked.**

** "Ultra Magnus, assemble a team of Wreckers, you're needed for an important assignment."**


	12. Chapter 12

**Narrator: **_**The Autobots have found new allies in the students of Beacon Academy, forming new bonds between Hunters and Bots. While team RWBY wishes to learn more about their new friends, on far off worlds, more Autobots have seen the fruits of Shockwave's labor.**_

_**Planet Gasera**_

** The planet of Gasera, a world entirely covered in desert sands, was once home to a very peaceful race. Their cities and villages were stuffed with rich culture and intelligent life forms, the natives unaware that their planet was rich with Energon. They learned how valuable their world was when the Decepticons invaded and nearly wiped them out. The Autobots arrived just in time to save the Gaseran population from being extinct and relocated them into one giant underground refugee city. A couple of solar cycles ago, a squad of Autobots returned from a patrol to find their comrades torn to shreds and all the refugees shot or eviscerated. A mortally wounded Autobot told Commander Ironhide of strange creatures with Cybertronian weapons that could locate the Gaserans wherever they hid before succumbing to his injuries. Outnumbered, understaffed, and low on Energon, Ironhide contacted the Autobot fleet and told them of their failure to hold the line at Gasera and ordered an evacuation. The **_**Ark**_** planned to send transport and it was to arrive in two solar cycles.**

** Ever since then, the four Autobot survivors had dug in and fought off the C.O.G forces they encountered. At one point, the team was split in two and got separated. Arcee and Bumblebee fled to an abandoned village that was designated a rendezvous point in the event they got separated. They changed from vehicle mode to stretch their limbs and waited for the commander and Sideswipe to arrive.**

** "So Bee, want to bet that its Sideswipes fault that they're late?" Arcee, a blue two wheeler, asked her partner.**

** "(Responsive and questioning beeps)," Bumblebee responded. Bumblebee had lost the use of his voice box during the battle of Tyger Pax. It was torn out by Megatron when he refused to give up Intel. Ratchet could not repair it and settled for a less than ideal substitute. Despite his loss, the yellow Autobot scout persevered and continued to fight, learning a lot under Optimus Prime's command.**

** "Yeah, he probably wanted to show off for the commander again. Just because he's the only one with a jetpack, doesn't mean he's as good as an Aerialbot, or a Seeker for that matter."**

** "(Suggestive and kind beeps)."**

** "You always see the good in Bots don't you?" The two Autobots here crashing in a hut, shift their arms into blasters, and aim at the source of the commotion. A Beowolf C.O.G trooper jumps out and Bumblebee shoots it dead on the spot. "Nice shot."**

** Bumblebee beeps proudly and then the beating hot sun gets blotted out for a second. The two Bots look up to see a Nevermore C.O.G high above their heads begin to descend. They then looked forward to see a Cybertronian vehicle coming from down the road transform into their red, robust commander.**

** "Take cover now the both of ya or you're scrapped"! Ironhide ordered.**

** "Scrap"! Arcee yelled as she and Bumblebee ran for cover. The Nevermore fired a volley of its razor tipped feathers, attempting to impale the Autobots. Arcee remembered seeing two Autobot sentries stabbed by those feathers back at the cave entrance to the refugee city and did not wanted to end up deep fried Autobot on a stick.**

** "(Questioning beeps)?" Bumblebee asks.**

** "Yeah, where **_**is**_** Sideswipe?"**

** As the Nevermore came swooping down, Sideswipe stood on top of one of the village's tallest buildings, out of sight. As the giant altered Grimm came down, the red confident and cocky warrior jumped up and jetted upward. "Yee-haw"! He yelled. Sideswipe landed on the bird's back but was losing his balance fast. He produced an Energon blade with his left arm and struck it into the beast's back, earning a screech of pain. Shifting his other arm into a blaster, he fired at the monster's head, taking it clean off. The creature dropped down and began falling fast to the ground below. "This is where I get off"! Sideswipe jumps off and propels himself forward with his jetpack onto a large, soft mound of sand. The Nevermore crashes with a loud thud.**

** "That's what I call a 'Black Hawk Down'," Sideswipe commented.**

** "(A sarcastic gesture)," Bumblebee said walking up to his comrade.**

** "Yeah, showoff," Arcee added.**

** "That's enough Bots, gather round," the three Bots turn to see their commanding officer. "Our rides here," Ironhide points up to the sky and an Autobot troop transporter swoops down and lands. A few soldiers jump out, secure the area and salute as Ironhide approaches.**

** "Sir, we are here to extract you from the planet, sir"! A soldier says.**

** "At ease soldier, how long will it take to regroup with the **_**Ark**_**?"**

** "When Optimus ordered us to pick you guys up, the **_**Ark**_** came under attack from a Decepticon freighter. Last transmission indicated they broke off and escaped, as well as providing us coordinates to where we can meet up seven solar cycles **_**after**_** the two solar cycle journey back to the Space Bridge."**

** "So we'll be sitting on our tailpipes for **_**nine**_** solar cycles?!" Sideswipe yelled.**

** "(Reassuring beeps)," Bumblebee said.**

** "Bee's right, you should enjoy the break in stasis while you can," Arcee added. She walks up and patted Sideswipe on the shoulder as she stepped into the transport. She turns back and adds, "I'm sure there will be plenty of action once we meet back up with Optimus."**

** Sideswipe smiles as he and Bumblebee follow her. Ironhide smirks himself and looks back out across the landscape, his smirk becoming a frown.**

** "We failed here," he began, "But by the Allspark, we shall **_**not**_** fail again"! Ironhide declared, entering the shuttle. The landing party follows after the commander and the ship takes off, beginning its long journey.**

_**Planet Remnant**_

** The sun began to set as team RWBY sat with their Autobot partners on the front grounds of the Academy, telling stories and sharing bits about their pasts. Slicktrack, though as difficult as it was, revealed to the rest of RWBY his tragic story at Tyger Pax. The young Huntresses could only offer their sympathy at the loss of the Autobot's comrades.**

** "So Mirage, what's your story?" Weiss asked, now curious about her own Autobot's past.**

** "Well, ma lady, you would be interested to know that we actually have more in common than you think," Mirage replied as Weiss raised an eyebrow.**

** "What, you're both stuck up rich types?" Yang asked with a smirk. Mirage and Weiss stared daggers at the blond brawler.**

** "As a matter of fact, I **_**was**_** part of an upper caste of Cybertronian citizens." This time, Yang looked confused.**

** "He used to be quite wealthy," Crosshairs cleared up and then muttered, "Old money."**

** "Back in the day before the war, I used to spend my cycles just lounging about, talking with my friends, and engaging with a turbofox hunt every now and then. I admit, when the war broke out, I tried to stay out of it for as long as I could."**

** "Why?" Weiss asked.**

** "Because I thought the fighting was pointless. Sure we're divided into two separate factions, but we're all **_**still**_** of the same race. I believed that the leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons would sit down and negotiate a peace treaty or something, so that we could forget the fighting and go back to the way things were."**

** "First of all," Slicktrack began, "'Decepticons' and 'peace treaty' **_**never**_** fit in the same sentence. Second, before the war, there was corruption and inequality amongst the various caste systems that spawned the war in the first place. Even if things did return to what you call 'normal' Mirage, then the fighting would just resume nonetheless."**

** "I know that now, Optimus made it very clear when we would talk. When things got worse, I was forced to choose a side. I didn't like the fighting, but I knew that if fighting with the Autobots meant a goal for peace, then I would be willing to endure great hardships until that goal is met. That being said, I got my hands on a cloaking device for espionage and intelligence gathering type missions. I still don't like fighting, but at least this way I wouldn't be dirtying my hands as much as I would if I fought in the trenches."**

** "Not much of a choice in this case fancy frame," Crosshairs said.**

** "Well what about you Crosshairs, got an interesting tale?" Yang asked.**

** "Back on Cybertron, I used to work at an academy like this one."**

** "You don't mean you…?" Mirage began.**

** "No, I wasn't a member of the Elite Guard; I was in charge of maintaining and cleaning the weapons as the head Armorer."**

** "What's the Elite Guard?" Blake asked.**

** "They are the best of the best the Autobot forces have to offer," Drift elaborated. "They are called upon for the direst of situations. I was unaware you worked at the Academy my friend."**

** "It wasn't that big a deal. Though they did have access to some of the most lethal, expensive, and up to date weapons Cybertron had to offer. Of course, it didn't last forever."**

** "Why, did war broke out and you rush to fight for your beliefs?" Ruby asked.**

** "Heck no, I accidentally blew up a few ammo caches and Ultra Magnus booted me out with that damn hammer of his! I went back to my home town and **_**then**_** joined up with the Autobots when the war broke out."**

** Upon hearing his friend's tales, Drift got up and unsheathed his swords. He walked a few yards away and began to practice. Blake looked at her robotic friend and expressed great worry. She knew hearing his comrades stories of the past must have stirred up bad memories of his own. Blake felt the same way, and decided not to push her new friend too far; otherwise she'll be pushing him away. She knew what it was like to hide your past and believed it took time to open up to new friends. For the rest of the twilight hours before it got too dark, the Autobots listened to team RWBY's exciting adventures from hunting Grimm to fighting some group called the White Fang. Slicktrack and the others see the White Fang as this world's version of the Decepticons, willing to pay for peace with the blood of your enemies.**

** When it became too dark, the Autobots escorted their fleshy friends to the dormitories and wished them a good night. Slicktrack called in a Ground Bridge back to the ship so they too can get some rest. When the Bridge opened, Mirage and Crosshairs walked through but Slicktrack stopped to gaze at the stars. Drift saw this and stopped to inquire.**

** "What troubles you young genin?" Drift asked.**

** "I'm just wondering how any of the others are doing out there," Slicktrack said, thinking of their fellow Autobots amongst the sea of stars. "How many are still alive, and how well are they faring against the Decepticons and their new pets."**

** "I'm sure they have endured great strife, and continue to do so. But remember, Optimus is out there too, watching out for us all. We will all meet again someday, whether aboard the **_**Ark**_** or when we're all one with the Allspark." Drift lets his words sink in and steps into the vortex.**

** "Yeah, I suppose we will." Slicktrack walks to the Bridge, but takes one last look at the sky and mutters, "Keep on kicking tailpipe guys."**

_**Planet Rhidack**_

__**On this forested world, several Beowolf C.O.G sprint about, running from the source of a moving disturbance. As they run past the trees, they step off the footprints of a very large, unknown animal. An altered Grimm looks back at the sight of their pursuer; a giant, metal tyrannosaurus rex! The large beast inhales and launches a stream of fire, incinerating the monsters in one attack. The charred creatures are then stomped underfoot several times at the amusement of the t-rex. Satisfied, the metal reptile transforms into a large sword wielding Autobot. The robot turns his head at the sound of squawking and sees his pterodactyl pal land on a thick tree branch above him.**

** "Yo Grimlock," it said, "We just got a message from the **_**Ark**_**; Optimus wants to talk to ya."**

** "What does he want now?" the leader of the Dinobots asked.**

** "Don't know, sounded important."**

** Grimlock growled softly and said, "Alright, lead the way Swoop, I'll cover ya incase more strange creatures attack us." The flying Dinobot squawks and flies off, his leader transforming into his monstrous alt mode and stomping after him.**

**Authors Note: This chapter was mainly for fan service with regards to some highly requested Transformers. The next couple of chapters will include the other members of team RWBY with one on one time with their Autobot friends, starting with Weiss and Mirage. Also, for those of you who know about Drift's past, you'll understand why I didn't reveal it yet. Until next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Narrator: **_**While the Autobot forces in deep space begin to converge and plan on how to deal with the Decepticons newly acquired reinforcements, Weiss Schnee prepares for a gala her family's company is throwing. This event has caused Mirage to reminisce of more luxurious days on Cybertron.**_

_**Iacon City, Cybertron, Millions of years ago**_

** Mirage stood outside the balcony of some tower one of his friends owned, who was throwing a party over the success of opening a new string of Energon farms on Moonbase 1. He looked up at the stars and observed Cybertron's two moons in their glistening beauty.**

** "Lovely aren't they?" Mirage was released from his stupor to see a dark purple and pink fembot walk up from behind him. "Though sometimes I wonder how many laborers from Kaon are being shipped there to mine Energon for the stuck up rich types."**

** "Concern for the working castes, you either have a spark of gold or you yourself can sympathize with those slag tossers," Mirage answers.**

** "Of course I sympathize with them; I myself grew up in Kaon."**

** "You, no offense, but how can someone so well built come from the stain of Cybertron's surface?"**

** The fembot laughed off the insult. "Oh, you charmer you, but there is more to Kaon than meets the eye, I could take you there sometime. You know, to show you what you're missing."**

** "I think I'll pass, someone as shiny as me could get roughed up by a bunch of ruffians for being programmed into a higher standing in society. I'm sorry, where are my manners, I'm Mirage." The young robot held out his hand and the fembot shook it.**

** "Luxury, it is a pleasure to meet you Mirage."**

** "If I may be so bold to ask again, but how did such a stunning bot like you end up here in Iacon, at a party reserved for the wealthiest of Cybertron."**

** "Oh I am merely the plus one of a bot who was **_**actually**_** invited, but I agreed to come because I wanted to see how the other half lived. Got to say, it's nice. Though there are some who believe we shouldn't be separated into a caste system, but instead we should live as equals and all bots share the luxuries of Cybertron."**

** "Who spewed that load of scrap metal?"**

** "I heard about a bot in the Pit who calls himself Megatronous, preaching inequality and corruption in the upper castes."**

** "How arrogant do you have to be to think you can just take the name of one of the original thirteen Primes?! And there is no evidence of any corruption; he's probably just some worker complaining about a life he'll never live."**

** "Perhaps, or maybe you're just worried whatever dark secrets you and your friends are hiding will come to the forefront."**

** "Believe me Luxury I've got nothing to hide."**

** "Good to hear."**

** "You want a glass of oil?"**

** "I would love some."**

** Mirage walks back into the party and heard the fembot call after him. "Mirage…Mirage…," her voice changes as she became smaller, whiter, and fleshier, "Mirage?"**

_**Planet Remnant, Present Day**_

** "Remnant to Mirage, are you in there?" The Autobot in his vehicle mode returned to reality at the sound of his human friend. Mirage was parked on the crib outside the heliport where a bullhead from Beacon touched down and Weiss Schnee walked out. She wore a stunning satin white dress and her hair was let down with a Schnee beret in it. Weiss was invited to a benefit dinner by her father (she was quite surprised) to celebrate the opening of a new mining town in the south region of the kingdom. Mirage offered to take her to the party and had Hound bridge him to the heliport. Ground Bridging directly to the party was out of the question for fear of too many witnesses, but Prof. Ozpin made sure the heliport was vacated so Mirage could teleport and meet the heiress.**

** "Oh sorry, please step in m'lady," Mirage said and opened his back right door. The white haired Huntress curtsied and got in the talking car. The Autobot activated his holo-human and drove off to the party. After about a couple of minutes, Mirage broke the silence and said, "Well this is new, I've never been the one to escort the rich and powerful before."**

** "I should imagine, considering you were amongst the wealthiest of **_**your **_**people," she said. "How were the parties on Cybertron?"**

** "Oh they were just to go offline for. They were bright, shiny, and served the finest oil around. Back in those days, I was quite the socialite. I used to chat with the most influential members of Cybertron's elite on topics like politics, Energon consumption levels, and planning trips to Six Lasers over Cybertron, the greatest theme park on the planet."**

** "That sounds…nice." Weiss smiled weakly, unsure what to make of her mechanical partners life experiences. "It seems no matter where in the universe you are, party's like these are all the same."**

** "It would seem that way."**

** "Still can't believe my father invited me."**

** "Why wouldn't he? You're his only daughter; he probably wants you there for moral support."**

** "Or more like a publicity stunt to take off the negative heat the press has been breathing down the company's neck. I guess that's why my father even reached out to my uncle Silas."**

** "What's an uncle?"**

** "It means he's my father's brother. Actually Uncle Silas is older than my father."**

** "Really, then why is your father CEO of the Company? I always thought that the eldest child amongst a royal family inherits the castle or something?"**

** "Well not exactly a castle, but when my grandfather passed, he left the company to my father. I believe it was because my uncle was more interested in advancements in technology than the acquisition of Dust. That's why he kick started MECH, a subsidiary of Schnee Dust that provides the world with the most advanced and efficient technology in the world."**

** "Is that why all Dust shipments are protected by robots?"**

** "Yeah, my uncle insisted that because 'robots never eat, never sleep, and don't make mistakes' they serve as the perfect sentinels to protect precious cargo."**

** "And yet that hasn't stopped the White Fang from…" Mirage stopped himself as he saw Weiss's face change at the mention of the terrorist group, "…Weiss I'm sorry."**

** "No, no, you were just trying to make a point," Weiss looks out and sees they've arrived at their destination, "Looks like we're here." The heiress gets out and nods at the car. "Thanks for the ride, I'll see you later." Weiss walks up the steps and gives the guard at the door her invitation.**

** "Yeah, be seeing ya." Mirage drives off and heads downtown. He figured he'd go for a drive to kill time and get his thoughts out there. "Oh man, there I go again saying the wrong thing. I hope she isn't too upset with me over that slip up. I mean, sometimes I just open my damn mouth and say the one thing people don't want to hear."**

** "Wow that sums you up in a nutshell big bot." Mirage turns his right mirror to see a dark purple and pink Ferrari 458 Italia pull up next to him. "Maybe you're not so good with the lady's as you thought."**

** "Luxury, what in the name of Primus do you think you're doing?"**

** "I heard of some big shindig in town and that I'd stop by. You know, chat up a few locals, try the food, and maybe go out with a big bang"!**

** "So pretty much the same old thing huh?"**

** "You're still mad about that? You need to learn to let things go."**

** "I'm sorry; it's hard to forget how a psycho Decepticon thinks blowing up a building full of innocent beings is her idea of fun"!**

** "Oh please, you actually think a tenth of the fleshies at that party are innocent? Some of the things they did to their own people make me look like a saint"!**

** "Be that as it may, I can't allow you to kill any indigenous life forms."**

** "A party pooper as ever, well I'm not going to let you spoil my fun"! Luxury rams Mirage, speeds past him, and makes a sharp U-turn back to the party.**

** "Scrap," he muttered before opening a line to the ship, "Hound, I need a Ground Bridge at the following coordinates."**

** As Luxury sped closer to the party, she was unable to brake in time for a Ground Bridge to open up in front of her. After she went through, Mirage caught up and drove in after her.**

…

** Meanwhile at the party, several dozen of Vale City's wealthiest and socially active citizens were talking about their respective business ventures and congratulating Albert Schnee on yet another successful business deal. The CEO stood proud wearing a white tuxedo with his wife and daughter standing beside him wearing bright attire as well.**

** "Congratulations are in order little brother," Albert turned to see an impressively well-built man in a normal tuxedo, regulation military cut white hair, and two scars on the right side of his face, one running down from the forehead down to the jawline and the other scrapped across his nose down to his mouth. Silas Schnee, the older brother and head of the company's top subsidiary MECH, looked happy for his brother.**

** "Thank you for coming Silas," the younger brother said as Silas was greeted by his sister-in-law Gloria and only niece Weiss, "I wasn't sure you'd show considering the strides in your research."**

** "I don't intend to stay all night, but it would be good for public relations if the two Schnee brothers celebrated a recent success in the company as a whole."**

** "And to propose the deployment of your machines at the Leo Major mining town no doubt, honestly brother I'm starting to think employing human security would be more cost effective and, well, just effective in general."**

** "You're still mad about that whole train incident are you?"**

** "The White Fang absconded with an entire shipment of Dust and all your machine were slashed to pieces. So I'm sorry if I have a lack of faith in your machines."**

** "Oh dear brother, you always were a little irrational when it came to defeat. I saw the interaction as a learning experience, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."**

** "You do realize no one actually died that day right?"**

** "A figure of speech, despite the termination, MECH's machines uploads all combat data to our central mainframe for analysis and study. By learning from our enemy's strengths, we will find the chink in their armor and finish them. I assure Albert, when the day comes, the White Fang will be eradicated, that I swear."**

** Albert seemed content with this answer and said, "Well, let's hope that day comes sooner rather than later. I'm sick of all the strikes and deaths associated with this company." The CEO walks off to talk to a reporter as an employee of MECH approached his boss.**

** "Sir, we've detected two signals outside the city limits," he whispered in Silas's ear."**

** "Very good," he whispered back, "I want three teams in the skies in ten and the targets taken intact." The employee nods and Silas returned his attention to Gloria and Weiss. "As I said, I knew I wasn't staying long, but it looks like something has come up that requires my supervision."**

** "It's a shame, I miss seeing you Uncle Sy," Weiss said, bowing her head.**

** "And I miss you my dear, but duty calls." Silas walks away from his family and makes for the stairs, a green bullhead with the MECH insignia (a gear with the word MECH inside it) waited for him.**

…

** Luxury drove out of the green vortex and landed in a green pasture outside of Vale City. "What the, how did I…?" she didn't finish as Mirage came through and rammed her back. She rolled across the field a couple of times before transforming and grappling the ground with her hands to stop. "You do know it's rude to strike a lady?"**

** Mirage drove up to her, transformed, and cocked his fist back saying, "You ain't a lady," and struck her in the face plate. The Decepticon went down on her hands and knees, panting. "I learned that the day I found out your idea of fun."**

_**Iacon City, Cybertron, Millions of years ago**_

__**Mirage and Luxury had left the party, finding it a bit boring, and opted to go for a stroll. They had just exited the building when Luxury twirled around and said, "Before we head out, how about some fireworks."**

** "Fireworks, what are you…?" Mirage looked confused as Luxury pulled out a detonator and pressed the button. Suddenly the top of the tower where the party was held blew up in an explosive inferno. Bots on the ground ran for cover as debris started to fall. Mirage couldn't believe what he saw. "Luxury did you…?"**

** "Are you going to finish a sentence anytime soon? Yes okay, I did that. Beautiful isn't it?"**

** "No, you just murdered all those bots. Why did you do that?"**

** "Those frag heads up there thought they could laud their wealth and power over the disenfranchised, well no longer. There will be equality, one way or another, even if we have to kill for it."**

** "So you're one of them, those bombers on the extranet I've heard about."**

** "You mean a Decepticon? So what if I am?"**

** "Why did you spare me?"**

** "I thought I could convince you to join up, you weren't like the others and seemed a bit more compassionate. But based on your expression, you look too squeamish to do what's necessary." She punched the young bot in the faceplate, changed into her alt mode, and drove off.**

** Mirage just looked up rubbing his face and said softly, "Why?"**

_**Planet Remnant, Present Day**_

** "Well at least you learned to lighten up a bit," Luxury said as she shot up and uppercut the Autobot. Mirage staggered back and blocked his opponents follow up punch with his arm. The two large machines exchanged blows for a couple minutes, blocking, parrying, and getting in the occasional successful strike before Luxury broke off the assault and jumped back. She changed her left arm into a blaster and opened fire. "Let's see you find cover out here in the open"!**

** "I don't need cover"! Mirage yelled as he activated his cloaker and disappeared.**

** "Oh scrap I forgot he could do that." Luxury looked around in vain but couldn't secure a fix on her target. "Playing unfairly here Mirage, you would have made a great Decepticon."**

** Suddenly her arm was jerked forward and she was smashed on the ground, pinned down by an unseen force. Mirage decloaked, arm cannon in her face, and said, "If I were a Con, you wouldn't be online right now."**

** "Then lucky for me you're just as soft as ever." Before Mirage could decide what to do, he looked overhead to hear the sound of three aircrafts approach.**

** "Looks like this party just got a little crowded." Mirage disengaged, transformed, and drove off. Luxury looks up and sees the oddly green colored bullheads.**

** "Those aren't Decepticons, I'm outta here." Luxury called in a Bridge and disappeared into the vortex before the aircrafts could touch down. Three teams of five soldiers armed with high tech assault rifles wearing emerald green armor and balaclavas covering their faces jumped out and secured the area. Silas Schnee stepped out, wearing his own combat uniform minus the mask, and looked over the tablet device in his hands.**

** "Looks like the signals are gone now," he said. "A shame, secure the area and collect **_**any**_** samples you find. Rest assured gentlemen; we will acquire one of these NBE's and find out how they operate." Silas tapped a few keys and a picture of a C.O.G Beowolf in pieces. "As well as learn how they altered the Grimm in such an impressive way." **_**Why didn't we think of that?**_** Silas asked himself before overseeing his soldier's progress.**

** Hours later, Mirage returned to the party and Weiss waited for him outside. She got in the back and he drove to the helipad back to Beacon. "So how was the party?" the Autobot asked.**

** "Boring, just as I expected," Weiss responded. "My father chatted with board members, my mom shared gossip with my friends, and I was stuck listening to conversations with the other heirs and heiresses. The only highlight was seeing Uncle Sy again."**

** "Listen Weiss, I wanted to apologize for my slip up earlier, sometimes I don't know when I say the wrong thing."**

** "Don't worry about it, all is forgiven. So what did you do while waiting for me?"**

** "Oh you know the usual. But next time I'd like to attend a party with you. I'm sure a smart young lady like you has a lot to say."**

** Weiss blushed and said, "That would be nice."**

**Authors Note: Next time we will see how Blake and Drift interact on a very important soul (and spark) journey during a mission. **


End file.
